2 top police officials axed over Zamboanga del Sur raid

MANILA, Philippines—Two top police officials in Zamboanga del Sur were ordered removed from their posts following Monday’s attack by communist rebels on a police station there, national police chief Director General Nicanor Bartolome said Tuesday.

Director General Nicanor Bartolome said he has ordered the removal of Zamboanga del Sur provincial director, Senior Superintendent Jose Bayani Gucela, and Tigbao chief of police Senior Inspector Heins Legaspi, after around 70 heavily armed men stormed the police station in Tigbao town around 7 p.m. Monday.

The rebels, clad in full military uniform, also took as hostage a policeman identified as Police Officer 2 Faizal Juhaili, said Bartolome.

Gucela said no information was still available as of this time on the whereabouts of Juhaili, but said police operations were ongoing to rescue the policeman and arrest the suspects who were said to have fled north.

He said one of the suspects even introduced himself as an official.

Bartolome said he has directed police to investigate the incident and determine how such a big group of rebels was able to enter the town and raid the police station despite the alert status of the PNP.

He also said he would be leaving for Zamboanga del Sur Wednesday to personally “assess the situation and give guidance on the ground” to determine if there was a need to re-evaluate police strategy in the area.