FDA chief’s convoy ambushed; 3 cops killed

HIGHWAY ATTACK Policemen secure a section of the highway in Lupi town, Camarines Sur, after an ambush staged by suspected communist rebels. —PHOTO COURTESY OF BICOL PNP

LEGAZPI CITY — Three policemen were killed and three others were wounded when suspected communist rebels attacked them while they were escorting a government official in Lupi town, Camarines Sur province, on Thursday, police said.

Chief Insp. Maria Luisa Calubaquib, spokesperson for the Bicol regional police, said the policemen were tailing the vehicle of Nela Charade Puno, director general of the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), when they were waylaid by suspected New People’s Army fighters.

FDA exec not target

From the airport in Pili town, Camarines Sur, the group was heading to Daet town in nearby Camarines Norte province, when about 20 armed men fired at them at Barangay Napolidan in Lupi at past 9 a.m.

Calubaquib said Puno was unharmed. The official was in Bicol to attend a consumer awareness activity in Daet.

Chief Supt. Arnel Escobal, Bicol police director, said it was possible that the gunmen were targeting the policemen and not Puno.

Pursuit

“The [police vehicle] that was hit was [traveling] behind the vehicle of the FDA chief,” Escobal said.

Police identified the slain policemen as SPO1 Percival Rafael, PO3 Carlito Navarroza and PO1 Ralph Jason Vida.

Wounded were PO1 Jonathan Perillo, PO1 Ruby Buena and PO1 Rodolfo Gonzaga.

Escobal said Army soldiers and policemen have joined forces to pursue the armed men. —REPORTS FROM MA. APRIL MIER AND STEPHANIE FLORIDA