Baby killed, Lanao del Sur police chief hurt in Bukidnon ambush

A four-month old girl died while three other individuals, including the police chief of a Lanao del Sur town, were injured in an ambush by suspected communist rebels in Bukidnon, the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) police said on Friday.

ARMM police spokesperson Chief Insp. Jemer delos Santos said three policemen were also abducted by alleged members of the New Peoples’ Army (NPA) during Thursday’s incident in Talakag, Bukidnon.

Delos Santos said members of the town police of Amai Manabilang, Lanao del Sur led by their commander, Insp. Joven Acuesta, and some civilians, were on a two-vehicle convoy and were passing by Talakag on their way back to Lanao del Sur from Cagayan de Oro City around 5:30 p.m. last November 9 when armed men suddenly fired at them.

Delos Santos said the infant died instantly while Acuesta and the three women aboard one of the vehicles were wounded.

It was not clear if any of the women or the baby were family members of any of the policemen in the convoy.

Delos Santos said that after shooting at the convoy, the suspected rebels swooped down on the vehicles and forcibly took three policemen before they escaped.

The identities of the abducted policemen were not divulged as of posting.

Acuesta and the other injured victims were later rushed to a hospital by responding security forces.

Delos Santos said law enforcement are conducting pursuit operations against the suspect. /kga