Cop chief axed over NPA raid

TACLOBAN CITY — The police chief of the Samar town of Calbiga was relieved from his post five hours after communist rebels raided the municipality last Saturday morning.

Senior Inspector Ruben Belida is now being investigated by the crisis investigating committee headed by Senior Superintendent Claro Fernandez, deputy director for operations of the Eastern Visayas police.

Chief Superintendent Dionisio Coloma Jr., regional police director, said Senior Superintendent Conrado Calvario, Samar police director, will also be investigated under the principle of command responsibility.

Coloma said he will wait for the committee’s findings before deciding on whether to relieve Calvario or not.

Coloma said all police units in the region have been alerted on intelligence reports that the New People’s Army (NPA) might stage attacks in the run-up to its 34th anniversary on March 29.

"Binalewala kasi nila ang (It’s because they ignored the) information for them to be security-conscious," he said.

Reports said about 300 NPA guerrillas swooped down on Calbiga, strafing houses and raiding the police station.

The rebels fled with six M-16 Armalite rifles, two 9mm pistols, a caliber .38 revolver and a shotgun. A civilian was injured in the attack.

Last year, NPA rebels ambushed an Army unit in Catarman, Northern Samar a week before the Communist Party of the Philippines marked its Dec. 26 founding anniversary, killing two soldiers and wounding three others.

Some 200 guerrillas attacked the police station in Motiong, Samar before the NPA anniversary last year. A policeman was killed and four others were wounded during the raid.