PNP chief commends Victoria, Northern Samar cops for repulsing NPA attack

MANILA, Philippines — Philippine National Police (PNP) chief General Oscar Albayalde commended the Victoria, Northern Samar police for repulsing the attack on the police station by suspected New People’s Army (NPA) rebels Thursday morning.

“We would like to commend the Victoria municipal police station doon sa Samar at nagpakita talaga sila ng tapang, wherein they were harassed by more or less 50 NPA rebels but they were able to repulse yung pag-atake sa kanila,” he told reporters in a chance interview in Ilocos Norte.

(We would like to commend the Victoria municipal police station in Samar for showing courage. They were harassed by more of less 50 NPA rebels but they were able to repulse the attack.)

The local police killed three suspected rebels and captured another another during the pre-dawn encounter.

READ: Northern Samar police station attacked, 3 NPA rebels killed

Two police officers were wounded  but are now in stable condition, Albayalde said.

The PNP chief particularly commended the “good instinct” of the police officers on duty at the station who went to the upper level of the building to secure a good vantage point during the gunfight.

“They occupied the high ground. Pumunta sila sa second or third floor ng kanilang station at doon sila nakipaglaban at nakipagpalitan ng putok. Of course in any firefight ang sabi nga nila, you always occupy the high ground,” he said.

(They occupied the high ground. They went to the second or third floor of their station and there they fought back and returned fire. Of course in any firefight, like they said, you should always occupy the high ground.)

Recovered from the retreating rebels were an M60 light machinegun, two M16 rifles and an M14 rifle. / gsg