STO. DOMINGO, Nueva Ecija — A policeman and his four companions were wounded when they were ambushed along the Sto. Domingo-Licab Road in Barangay Mambarao, Sto. Domingo, Nueva Ecija Friday night.
Two bystanders were also hurt in the ensuing firefight.
Reports reaching provincial police director Senior Superintendent Eliseo Tanding said Police Officer 3 Christopher Delfin of the Regional Special Operations Group based in Camp Olivas, Pampanga was driving a pickup truck from Sto. Domingo to Quezon town with Pedro Jay Delfin, Raymundo Delfin, Reynold Fernando and Eric Pardo when two SUVs, both without license plates, overtook them.
Gunmen in the two vehicles opened fire, triggering a gunfight.
Aside from the policeman and his friends, stray bullets also hit vendor Rommel Ignacio, 30, and a 16-year old boy, both residents of Mambarao.
The report quoted Delfin as saying he recognized one of the gunmen as a native of Cabanatuan City.
Investigators recovered 10 M-16 rifle slugs but have yet to determine the motive for the ambush.
All the wounded remain in an undisclosed hospital but have been declared out of danger.