NPA storms police outpost in Cagayan

BAYOMBONG, NUEVA VIZCAYA—About 30 communist rebels on Thursday attacked a police outpost in Amulung town in Cagayan province, right after the arrest of a rebel leader in Peñablanca town.

David Soriano, reported to be the regional secretary of the Communist Party of the Philippines, was detained at an Army checkpoint in Barangay Camasi in Peñablanca on Thursday afternoon, along with Jude Cipriano, who drove their Hyundai Starex van.

Seized from them were two 9mm pistols, reportedly issued by the police.

In a statement, the Henry Abraham Command of the New People’s Army (NPA) admitted staging the Amulung raid and denounced the arrest of Soriano.

The rebels stormed the police post in Barangay Annafatan in Amulung at 5:45 p.m., and seized four M16 rifles and two 9mm pistols from policemen stationed there, according to Chief Supt. Eliseo Rasco, Cagayan Valley police director.

They also burned the station’s patrol vehicle.

No shot was fired and no one was reported hurt in the raid, which was staged four days after 70 rebels raided the police station in Maddela town in Quirino province, killing a policeman.

Chief Insp. Chevalier Iringan, regional police information officer, said Soriano had warrants of arrest, including that for the ambush-slay of Mayor Carlito Pentecostes Jr. of Gonzaga town in Cagayan in 2014.

Soriano is also the main suspect in the ambush-slay of six policemen in Baggao town last year and the ambush of eight police Special Action Force troopers in Allacapan town in 2013, all in Cagayan.

Soriano and Cipriano were taken to the Cagayan police office in Tuguegarao City for questioning.