Angat police chief killed in ambush

CAMP ALEJO SANTOS, Bulacan — The police chief of Angat, Bulacan was killed in an early morning ambush staged by suspected New People’s Army (NPA) rebels yesterday in Barangay Sta. Cruz.

Superintendent Arnold Gunnacao, intelligence and investigation chief of the Bulacan police, told The STAR that Angat police chief Superintendent Tomas de Armas was on his way to the municipal police station at around 6 a.m. when his maroon Honda Civic was peppered with bullets from caliber .45 and .9mm pistols.

"The ambushers had positioned themselves on both sides of the road waiting for his vehicle to pass," SPO1 Ferdinand Asia said.

De Armas was rushed to the nearest hospital in Norzagaray town but was pronounced dead on arrival due to numerous gunshot wounds.

SPO3 Leopoldo Ignacio said there were no reports that De Armas has received death threats from the insurgents, but he admitted that high-ranking police officials are included in the list of NPA targets.

Angat is one of the rebel-infested towns in this province.

The local NPA unit in the area has not yet come up with an official statement either denying or claiming responsibility for the killing.

But Chief Superintendent Vidal Querol, Central Luzon police chief, has ordered a hot pursuit operation against the suspects, who fled after the incident. — with Ding Cervantes and Ric Sapnu