NPAs raid Agusan Sur police station, seize cop chief

DAVAO CITY, Philippines – At least 50 suspected New People’s Army (NPA) rebels raided yesterday morning the municipal police station of Sta. Josefa town in Agusan del Sur and reportedly abducted the local police chief.

The guerrillas tied up the policemen on duty during the daylight attack and carted away their firearms and those kept in the armory.

No casualties though were reported in the raid. Authorities could not say how many firearms were taken by the insurgents.

According to initial reports, the rebels, who were wearing camouflage uniforms and were on board a “Sadam” truck, swooped down on the municipal police station at the Sta. Josefa poblacion (town proper) at around 9 a.m. yesterday.

The policemen on duty reportedly thought that the armed men were government troops, and thus were not able to fire at them as they were easily overpowered and outnumbered.

Sta. Josefa is located at the boundary of Agusan del Sur and Compostela Valley. It has a population of around 22,000 people and has an agriculture-based economy.