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MANILA, Philippines (5th UPDATE) – About 20 suspected communist rebels ambushed a group of unarmed policemen jogging in the town of Tadian, Mt Province, early Friday, June 28, killing one and wounding 9 others, including a police official.
The 100 policemen were undergoing training for a police counterinsurgency unit in Mt. Province, according to Supt. David Limmong, spokesman of Police Regional Office Cordillera. He said the guerrillas attacked the cops —unarmed and in their jogging pants —at around 5:45 am at Sitio Kabunagan, Tadian town.
The Philippine National Police identified the slain policeman as PO1 Denver Balabag. The wounded are: Police Inspector Melenium Bantas, PO1 Alex Dunluan, PO1 Pawas Daketan, PO1 Junette Ngalawen, PO1 Jasmin Salve, PO1 Mitchell Maludon, PO1Robin Benito and PO1 Jefferson Sari, and PO1 Edison Waguis.
The victims were immediately brought to the nearby Bauko Hospital for treatment. The 10 other police trainees who were reported missing after the incident are now all accounted for and are back in the barracks, according to Limmong.
About 120 police non-commissioned officers were undergoing training for the PNP’s Special Counterinsurgency Operation Unit.
The peace process between the government and the communist National Democratic Front — aimed at ending Asia’s longest-running insurgency —has been suspended.
READ: ‘Joma wants peace, the ground doesn’t’
In Davao City, two government militiamen were killed in an NPA ambush in Magsaysay town, Davao del Sur Wednesday afternoon, June 26.
The military’s 39th Infantry Battalion said members of the Citizen Armed Forces Geographical Unit were on their way back to their detachment from a nearby public market when attacked by guerrillas in Barangay Malawanit shortly past 3 pm.
The guerrillas have stepped up their attacks this year. On Tuesday, June 25, they ambushed an Army unit in Zamboanga del Sur, wounding 5 soldiers.
Last weekend, NPA rebels killed two soldiers in Agusan del Sur.
Interior Secretary Mar Roxas condemned the Mt Province attack, noting that the policemen were on their regular morning jog. “This makes the attack more shocking and senseless since it was carried out without any provocation,” Roxas said in a statement. – with reports from Karlos Manlupig in Davao City/Rappler.com
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