Five policemen wounded in Abra ambush

March 13, 2017

Five policemen were wounded in an ambush allegedly perpetrated by the New People’s Army (NPA) in Abra on Monday morning. Chief Inspector Carolina Lacuata, Cordillera Police Regional Office public information chief said a platoon of policemen under the Provincial Public Safety Company were on way to Malibcong municipal police station when they were attacked in the vicinity of Malibcong Malanas  bridge, Brgy Poblacion, Malibcong around 11 am. “The troops were trapped by an alleged Improvised Explosive Devise (IED) explosion followed by burst of fire that led to the wounding of the policemen identified as PO2 Jessie Pastores Trinidad, PO1 Marlon Banigan De Lapaz, PO1 Gerome Pacapac Baldos, PO1 Von Harold Layao and PO1 Kennon Batanes Sanggoy,” he said. The wounded policemen were brought to Abra Provincial Hospital. Lacuata said the policemen were sent to reinforce the personnel at the Malibcong municipal police station harassed by armed men around 7:30 pm last Sunday. He said regional police director Chief Superintendent Elmo Francis Sarona ordered the creation of the Special Investigation Task Group (SITG) headed by the Deputy Regional Director for Administration Senior Superintendent  Gregorio Lim “to conduct investigation and shed light to determine the liabilities on the part of the PNP members.” “He reminded all personnel to be alert at all times on the actions being perpetrated by lawless elements to prevent similar incident,” Lacuata said. “He likewise ordered all chiefs of police to intensify crime prevention efforts and strengthen security of PNP personnel in their areas of responsibility and to further step up their anti-criminality strategies,” he added. Robina Asido/DMS