LEGAZPI CITY, Philippines – An Army soldier was killed and at least seven policemen and three other soldiers were wounded in separate attacks by New People’s Army (NPA) guerrillas in Masbate yesterday, authorities said.
Five of the policemen were wounded when a band of 50 NPA rebels in camouflage uniforms swooped down on the police station of Mobo town early yesterday morning.
Senior Superintendent Thomas Semeniano, Masbate police director, said the guerrillas, armed with M-16 rifles, attacked the municipal police station at around 2:30 a.m. yesterday.
“The rebels wanted to burn down the police station by throwing a Molotov bomb but our policemen held their ground,” Semeniano said.
He said the rebels also fired an M-203 rifle grenade, triggering a one-hour exchange of gunfire that resulted in the wounding of PO2s Antonio Tidon and Bernardino Altarejos, and PO1s Arturo Mendoza, Judy Villamor, and Marwin Marcellana.
Semeniano said many of the insurgents were also hit during the firefight and withdrew toward Sitios Busay and Angbu in Barangay Poblacion, Mobo town.
Reinforcements from the Special Task Force Masbate under the command of Senior Inspector Dennis Ballas and Masbate Provincial Public Safety Company under SPO1 Francisco Ramos arrived two hours and 15 minutes later.
But the NPA rebels detonated a landmine while the police reinforcements were crossing a bridge in Sitio Matungaw, wounding PO1 Baldwin Huyo-an Odtohan.
The insurgents blasted another landmine as the team led by Semeniano was approaching Mobo town, wounding PO2 Ernie Concepcion.
The wounded policemen were rushed to the Masbate provincial hospital for emergency treatment. They were reported to be in stable condition.
Reports said the rebels also detonated a landmine in Barangay Maingaran, Masbate City yesterday morning, killing an Army soldier, Pfc. Mariel Semolava, and wounding three others – Pfcs. Henry Maisog, Ryan Brayuga and Jomar Erediano.
The soldiers, belonging to the 9th Infantry Battalion, were on their way to buy provisions in Masbate City when their vehicle hit the landmine.
Lt. Col. Julian Pactan, commanding officer of the 9th IB based in Milagros town, about 45 kilometers from Mobo, has deployed a team to run after the rebels belonging to the NPA’s Jose Rapsing Command.
Maj. Gen. Joshue Gaverza, commanding general of the Army’s 9th Infantry Division based in Pili, Camarines Sur, has ordered his men to beef up their operations against the NPA rebels in Masbate.
The Bicol region, where Masbate is located, is one of the areas with a huge concentration of NPA fighters. Other areas heavily influenced by the insurgents are Samar, Negros and the Davao region.
Latest military estimates peg the NPA’s strength at about 4,100. – With Alexis Romero