ZAMBOANGA CITY – Philippine National Police Director General Ricardo Marquez said on Wednesday that the cops from the Cagayan Regional Public Safety Battalion ambushed by communist rebels in Cagayan were supposed to investigate the series of arson attacks by the New People’s Army in the province.
Marquez, who flew to this city for a visit, said it was unfortunate that six policemen were killed while 11 others were wounded in the performance of their duty.
He said the Armed Forces of the Philippines was supposed to be the lead operating unit during the operation and it was unclear why the police became the main target of the NPA ambush and suffered heavy casualty.
“The operation was part of the internal security operations of the AFP,” he said.
Marquez said soldiers later reinforced the embattled policemen. SFM