Police speak up on NPA Benguet attack:  Cop was robbed

Cordillera Regional Police

BAGUIO CITY — The Cordillera Police Office on Wednesday (May 17) said a Benguet policeman was robbed at gunpoint on Tuesday night (May 16), to refute an announcement made earlier by communist rebels that they successfully raided a police outpost in the vegetable-producing town of Buguias.

In a statement, the New People’s Army’s Jennifer Cariño Command (JCC) said it raided a police sub-station in Barangay (village) Loo at 9 p.m., taking away a handgun, a grenade, ammunition, 2 VHF radio sets, and government-issued uniforms.

But according to the Cordillera police, the JCC no longer exists.  It added that its police officer was accosted and then robbed by unidentified men riding a van.

The police did not release the identity of the policeman who was victimized, but said he was enforcing the curfew and liquor ban in Buguias with two village officials.

The robbers took off with his wallet and police identification card, P15,000 cash, his service handgun and ammunition, the police reported.

In the NPA statement, the rebels claimed that no shots were fired, and described the raid as punitive action on behalf of vegetable farmers who were allegedly extorted on by policemen as they delivered their produce to the nearest markets.

But the police said the issues raised by the NPA “had long been resolved,” adding that the NPA statement rehashed “recycled and unfounded issues” for cheap propaganda.  SFM