CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY – An armed group waylaid a police vehicle resulting to the death of a police officer and four-month-old child in a town in Bukidnon late Thursday afternoon, authorities said Friday.
The Philippine National Police-10 (PNP-10), identified the casualties as Senior Police Officer 3 Arnel Carillo of the Amai Manabilang Municipal Police Station of Lanao del Sur, and a still-unnamed infant. Also wounded were three police officers and two civilians.
Those who sustained wounds were identified as Insp. Joven Acuesta, chief of the Amai Manabilang municipal police, and his men, SPO1 Pacifico Cabudoy, and PO1 Nathaniel Ibal.
The wounded civilians were Ali Citi, 53, female, who was hit on her left breast, and Ali Aminsalam, 37, who was wounded on her right arm.
The infant, who was hit on the forehead, was with the female civilians on board a Toyota Fortuner when the incident happened at around 5:30 p.m. in Barangay Tikalaan, Talakag town, Bukidnon.
A report from the Bukidnon provincial police said the SUV was on its way to Wao town in Lanao del Sur from this city. There were said to be seven persons on board the SUV, who were also wounded.
The civilian vehicle was tailing the police patrol when ambushed by the perpetrators.
In a statement on Friday afternoon, Ka Malem Mabini, spokesperson of the New People’s Army North Central Mindanao Region confirmes that a field unit of the NPA under the Mt. Kitanglad Sub-regional Command ambushed a patrol car of the PNP Bumbaran Police Station.
“The NPA-NCMR awaits the comprehensive report from the field unit responsible for launching the said action,” Mabini said.
In an interview, one of the victims, who requested anonymity due to security reasons, said they were caught by surprise when the incident happened.
“We were shocked. We did not expect there were bandits firing at us,” the victim said.
The victim said the shooting started when the police car overtook them.
“They (attackers) thought we were with the police,” she said.
Senior Supt. Benedicto Pintor, Bukidnon provincial police director, said investigators also found improvised explosive device (IED) at the crime scene.
He added police teams are pursuing the armed men after the ambush.(davaotoday.com)
