Cop survives NPA attack, kills one suspected rebel
New People’s Army. EV ESPIRITU/INQUIRER NORTHERN LUZON FILE PHOTO
NAGA CITY–A policeman was seriously injured in an assassination attempt Tuesday night but killed one of his attackers and wounded and captured another, both of whom were believed to be New People’s Army (NPA) rebels, in Ocampo, Camarines Sur.
Chief Inspector Rolito U. Orosco, chief of police in Ocampo, on Wednesday identified the assassination survivor as Police Officer 2 Christian De Jesus Vibares, a resident of the village of New Moriones here but assigned in the neighboring town of Tigaon.
Orosco identified the slain suspected NPA rebel based on the identification card retrieved from his body as Willy Funellas of Tugawe, Gubat, Sorsogon and the captured assailan as Erwin Batalla.
Both men are in their twenties, Orosco said.
He said Vibares was about to leave his house at 7:50 p.m. to report for duty at the police station in Tigaon when he was fired upon by four suspected NPA rebels while he was closing the gate after he parked his motorcycle outside of his residence.
Orosco said Vibares, armed with a Glock pistol, was quick to retaliate and to return fire, as he maneuvered to take cover in a store near their house. The suspected rebels were armed with M16 rifles, said Orosco.
The two other suspected rebels fled after their two companions went down.
Vibares, 32, is at present confined at the intensive care unit of the Naga Imaging Center Cooperative (NICC) Doctors Hospital in this city for the five gunshot wounds he suffered, said Orosco.
Funellas’ body was found on the side of the road by responding policemen about 30 meters from the house of Vibares while the wounded Batalla is now confined at the Bicol Medical Center, also in Naga City, under heavy guards.
Orosco said two M16 rifles were recovered by the police while a hot pursuit operation for the two NPA rebels who escaped has been launched by the Philippine Army. IDL
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