Two policemen and two rebels were killed while three others were wounded.
Military reports reaching The STAR claimed that 50 other communist guerrillas were stationed at Wawa Bridge to counter any reinforcement from government troopers.
Bayugan police identified the fatalities as PO1 Marito Correos and PO1 Rey Ejercito. Meanwhile, PO1 Julieto Ano was wounded in the head.
According to reports, Ejercito and Correos were outside the Municipal Hall when two vans loaded with NPA guerrillas suddenly parked at the Municipal Hall grounds and opened fire at them. Ano, who was inside the police office near the town hall, was hit in the head when he returned fire.
The rebels ransacked the armory of the police station and took away various firearms, including M-16, M-14 and M-203 armalite rifles.
However, responding policemen, who launched hot pursuit operations against the fleeing rebels, killed two communist guerrillas who were trapped in the chase.
The two vans used by the NPA in the attack were found abandoned near the Municipality of Sibagat, Agusan del Sur.
Police officials are now investigating the Bayugan police for its alleged laxity in guarding the Municipal Hall and police office. The police chief was reportedly not on duty at the time of the attack despite earlier warnings of a an impending attack.
Col. Rogelio Rosete, commanding officer of the 401st Infantry Brigade, told The STAR that the NPA has been threatening to attack the Bayugan Municipal Hall and assassinate Bayugan Mayor Alit Asis.
Asis’s husband, who was the town’s former mayor, was reportedly assassinated by sparrow units of the NPA while campaigning in a barangay in the 2001 local elections.
The NPA claimed that the mayor was engaged in many illegal activities, prompting the NPA’s kangaroo court to mete a punishment order against him. — Ben Serrano