CAGAYAN DE ORO, Philippines – Four police officers were wounded after members of the New People’s Army attacked the police station in Binuangan town, Misamis Oriental about 3:15 a.m. Sunday (Dec. 3, 2018), the latest in a series of clashes between communist rebels and state forces following an announced plan by President Duterte to declare the NPA a “terrorist group.”
Police Regional Office-10 spokesperson Superintendent Lemuel Gonda identified the wounded police personnel as: Senior Police Officer 1 Ramonito Zambas, Police Officer 3 Alberto Bernadas, PO1 Josua Satur, and Senior Inspector Dante Hallazgo.
Gonda said the policemen sustained minor injuries following the explosion of an M203 Rifle grenade of the NPA rebels.
The rebels, however, failed in their aim to get the firearms at the police station and retreated to the hinterlands after getting a withering counterfire from the government side.
The rebels set up a road block at Sitio Naratulan and Sitio Lourdes in Poblacion, Binuangan town.
Gonda said two forward trucks were taken by the rebels, who fled to the hinterland areas of Kitamban village, Binuangan after the three-hour exchange.
Chief Superintendent Timoteo Pacleb, PRO-10 regional director, directed police force in Northern Mindanao to to strengthen their security measures, and urge police personnel to defend their stations, “at all cost”.
Pacleb also commended the Binuangan Municipal Police Station “for a job well done in fighting the NPA terrorists in their failed attack”.
