NPAs kill 2 cops in Negros benefit dance

BACOLOD CITY — Four suspected New People’s Army (NPA) hit men gunned down two policemen providing security to a benefit dance in Escalante City, 95.20 kilometers north of this capital city of Negros Occidental, past midnight yesterday.

The assailants carted away two M-16 rifles of the slain policemen, who were identified as PO1 Melvin Villacampa of the 6th Regional Mobile Group and PO1 Albert Escala of the Escalante police.

The two policemen, along with two others, were part of a police team securing the benefit dance in Barangay Mabini.

The attack happened on the same day that Lt. Gen. Samuel Bagasin, commander of the Armed Forces Central Command, was scheduled to visit the 11th Infantry Brigade in La Granja, La Carlota City.

Superintendent Charles Calima, provincial police director, said the attackers are believed to be part of the NPA band that swooped down on a police detachment in Escalante City last March 19.

No one was injured in the raid but the rebels carted away firearms and ammunition from the police detachment.

Following yesterday’s attack, Calima said he will no longer allow any policemen to be assigned to secure fiesta benefit dances in Escalante since they are vulnerable to NPA attacks.

Gen. Jerry Jalandoni, commander of the Army’s 303rd Infantry Brigade, earlier said they were beefing up their efforts in the Escalante-Toboso area due to a heightened NPA campaign there. — Antonieta Lopez