PNP: Authorities foil NPA attack on Surigao del Norte police station

One Army member hurt in NPA ambush hours later, PNP says

(Eagle News) — Authorities foiled what it said was an attack by rebels on a police station in Surigao del Norte on Thursday, Jan. 28, but  one Army member was wounded in an ambush two hours later by members of the same rebel group.

Police Brigadier General Romeo M. Caramat, Jr. said in his report to Camp Crame that policemen assigned to the Sison Municipal Police Station, with help from personnel from the Regional Mobile Force Battalion of Police Regional Office, stood their ground as more or less eight armed New People’s Army rebels led by Gelan Ybanez alias Weng/Zanjo of Guerilla Front 16 of the North Eastern Mindanao Regional Committee of the CPP-NPA harassed them at 8:30 a.m.

The clash lasted for about fifteen minutes, and ended when the rebels withdrew towards the southeast direction.

There were no casualties on the part of the PNP.

Joint troops from the Special Action Force, Regional Mobile Force, and Philippine Army conducted hot pursuit operations against the fleeing suspects.

Troops from the 901st Brigade of the Philippine Army, however, were ambushed two hours later by more or less ten armed men believed to be members of the NEMRC, wounding Corporal Arnel L Belga.

An improvised explosive device set up by the NPA, the police said, also exploded at the roadside of Barangay San Pablo, Sison,  more or less 300 meters away from Municipal Mayor Karissa F. Paronia’s house, around 1:30 later in the afternoon.

No casualties were reported.

Criminal charges are being prepared against the suspects.