Police said the policemen were aboard a patrol car, on their way back from a "stake-out" operation when they were ambushed by an undetermined number of armed men in Lubuagan, 115 kilometers north of this city.
Killed in the ambush were Inspector Nestor Miranda, PO2 Tony Mahinay, who was driving the patrol car; and PO2 Arthur Ambakan. Wounded were Inspector Abraham Galingan, PO3 Aurelio Bitanga and a certain Superintendent Gumerang.
The attack came after communist leaders announced that they would step up attacks in response to President Arroyo’s order to redeploy more soldiers against them.
Earlier this week, Mrs. Arroyo ordered troops fighting the Abu Sayyaf in the south to be redeployed against the New People’s Army. — Artemio Dumlao, AFP