PNP: Top cop not taken by rebels
BAYOMBONG, NUEVA VIZCAYA—The police chief of Maddela town in Quirino province was not abducted by the New People’s Army, contrary to early reports about the rebel attack on the police station there on April 29, a top official said on Sunday.
Chief Insp. Jhun Jhun Balisi, Maddela police chief, was not at the police station in Barangay Poblacion Sur when about 100 rebels stormed it at 10:30 p.m. on Saturday, according to Chief Insp. Avelino Cuntapay, information officer of the Quirino police.
The report on Balisi’s abduction appeared to have come from responding policemen, who could not locate him and two other lawmen. The report was leaked and posted on social media, said Cuntapay, who issued the clarification after a telephone call to Balisi.
On Monday, Balisi was relieved of his duties, and was replaced by Chief Insp. Ricardo Salada.
Balisi said he was traveling to the Quirino police office in Barangay San Leonardo in Aglipay town when he was alerted about the attack.
Police confirmed that another policeman, SPO1 Antonio Siriban, was taken briefly as a hostage when the rebels commandeered the police station’s two patrol vehicles.
Responding policemen later found Siriban unharmed and the two vehicles in Barangay Cabua-an and San Pedro in Maddela.
“[Balisi’s] relief is standard operating procedure, under our one-strike policy,” Cuntapay said.
He said a task force had been formed to identify the attackers and look into security lapses. He did not elaborate.
The NPA claimed responsibility for the attack, saying it was its response to the government’s declaration of an all-out war against communist rebels.
Police accounts said about 100 armed men attacked the station. The first group arrived in an Isuzu Elf truck and announced to the duty police officers that they were performing follow-up operations in line with the government’s antidrug campaign.
The armed men then surrounded the police compound and opened fire, shattering the doors and window panes.
PO2 Jerome Cardenas, who was the officer on duty at the station entrance, was killed in the first burst of gunfire. The policemen fought back, but the rebels entered the station, rounding up personnel there.
The police said the rebels unlocked the jail cells and prodded the 12 inmates, who were huddled inside the toilet during the gunfight, to escape.
“Don’t be afraid because we will not harm you. You are free to escape after we leave,” an inmate quoted one of the rebels as saying.
Residents near the police station said they first thought that the volley of gunfire came from a fireworks display for the opening of a drugstore. —MELVIN GASCON
