Cops on high alert for retaliations after village chief's death

NORTH COTABATO, Philippines - The Midsayap municipal police is anticipating retaliations by relatives of a barangay chair killed by policemen last week for refusing to have his house searched for guns and drugs.

Senior Inspector Henry Narciso, deputy chief of the Midsayap police, said they have been receiving reports that relatives of Ibrahim Simpal are out to bomb their outposts in strategic spots and the municipal precinct.

“We are guarding against possible attacks. While the information being relayed to us still needs validation, we are not taking chances,” Narciso told reporters.

Simpal, chair of Barangay Ulandang in the west of Midsayap, was killed by policemen for refusing an attempt to search for guns and drugs in his house.

Members of the Special Operations Group of the Region 12 police office were to search Simpal’s house in the center of Barangay Ulandang, but were forced to neutralize him when he opened fire with an assault rifle as they approached to talk to him.

Simpal has links with both the Moro Islamic Liberation Front and the outlawed Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters.

Policemen recovered from Simpal’s house an M4 caliber 5.56 assault rifle, an M-16 armalite, two .45 caliber pistols, and a shotgun.

Narciso said Army combatants belonging to the 40th Infantry Battalion are helping the local police guard Midsayap against possible retaliations by relatives of the slain barangay chair.