Interior Secretary Eduardo Año (File photo by NOY MORCOSO / INQUIRER.net)
MANILA, Philippines — Interior Secretary Eduardo Año denounced on Monday the killing of four police officers in Ayungon, Negros Oriental by alleged members of New People’s Army (NPA).
“They were playing God with the four cops at their mercy. We condemn such complete disregard for life. Grabe ang ginawa nila sa apat na pulis,” Año said in a statement on Monday.
[What they did to the four police officers was extreme.]
“We will not rest until these murderers and enemies of peace are captured,” he added.
On July 18, Cpl. Relebert Beronio, Pat. Raffy Callo, Pat. Roel Cabellon and Pat. Marquino de Leon were riding three motorcycles when they were ambushed by suspected NPA members.
READ: 4 cops dead in NPA ambush in Negros Oriental
Año said he had authorized the Philippine National Police (PNP) and Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) to conduct an investigation and capture the assailants.
“As a former uniformed officer, I am enraged at this latest atrocity of the NPA which is a huge affront to our uniform, our badge, and our dignity as men and women in uniform. We will make sure that justice will be served to the families of the victims,” Año, a former AFP chief, said.
According to him, the police officers’ families would be beneficiaries of the “Comprehensive Social Benefits Program (CSBP) for killed in action, wounded in action (KIA-WIA), and killed in police operations, wounded in police operations (KIPO-WIPO) of AFP and PNP personnel.”
/atm