Body of slain cop recovered, wounded colleague rescued after Pangasinan clash

DAGUPAN CITY – Police and soldiers have recovered the remains of PO2 Aries Tamondong, and rescued his injured colleague, PO2 Jonielon Maruis Bagcal, following a Friday morning clash with armed men at in San Nicolas town in Pangasinan province.

Members of the Philippine National Police’s Regional Public Safety Battalion (RPSB) engaged the armed group, believed to be communist rebels, in a firefight from 9:20 a.m. to 11 a.m. at Sitio Kampo 4 in Barangay Sta. Maria East, according to Senior Supt. Ronald Oliver Lee, Pangasinan police director.

During the clearing operations, blood stains were observed at a trail which they believed was used as an escape route by the armed men, he said, which could indicate that some of them may have been wounded during the gun battle.

Lee said teams composed of policemen and Army are still pursuing the armed group.

Senior Insp. Arnold Soriano, San Nicolas police chief, said RPSN members were in the area because of reports that there have been rebel sightings in the area.

The village where the gun battle took place is at the slope of Caraballo Mountains, where the Villaverde Trail, a road linking Pangasinan and Nueva Vizcaya provinces is undergoing construction.