Cop slain in Catanduanes clash

LEGAZPI CITY — A police officer was killed in an encounter with suspected members of New People’s Army in San Miguel town in Catanduanes on Tuesday morning.

Police Major Maria Luisa Calubaquib, Bicol police spokesperson, said in a report that the slain cop, Senior Master Sergeant John Teston who was assigned at the San Miguel police station, was part of a team that was tasked to arrest a rape suspect. She did not name the rape suspect in the report.

However, the said suspect, who was considered as rank no. 10 in the most wanted persons list in the said town, was not in the area when the policemen went to serve the arrest warrant, Calubaquib added.

She said when the police officers, on board their motorcycles, were about to leave the Barangay JMA at around 6 a.m. after the failed attempt to arrest the rape suspect, they were ambushed by at least 15 suspected rebels.

Teston was killed while the five other police officers were unharmed.

Calubaquib said the rebels carted away phones, wallet, copy of the arrest warrant and the service firearm of the slain cop.

The police is still investigating the connection of the unnamed rape suspect to the rebels.

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