Rebels killed in North Cotabato police station attack identified

NPA flag courtesy of Wikipedia

MANILA — The Eastern Mindanao Command on Wednesday has identified the three rebels, which included a ranking New People’s Army (NPA) commander, killed in Tuesday’s botched attack at the President Roxas Municipal Police Station.

Capt. Alberto Caber, the unit’s spokesperson, identified the recovered dead rebel as one “Cmdr Revo”, (real name Ronald Arnado) a resident of Barangay Sto. Nino, Arakan, North Cotabato; a certain Totoy Gamay and another “Dodoy”, a resident of Barangay Datu Manangkil, also of Arakan town.

Arnado is one of the ranking leaders of the NPA’s Guerilla Front 53.

He added that pursuing military and police units have captured a wounded NPA fighter identified as Orly Gabison, 21, a resident of Barangay Amabel, Magpet, North Cotabato.

The rebel is now undergoing treatment at Amas Provincial Hospital in Barangay Amas, Kidapawan.

Caber said recovered items included two .45 caliber pistols, an improvised explosive device with triggering device, several M-16 magazines with ammunition, M-14 magazines with ammunition, two containers of gasoline.

The Eastern Mindanao Command spokesperson stated that around 100 rebels headed by Arnado launched the attack at the President Roxas Municipal Police Station around 3:45 a.m.

The 40-minute firefight resulted in the death of Arnado and his two companions and the slight wounding of Insp. Bernabe Rubio, President Roxas Municipal Police Station, who was hit in the forehead with glass fragments.

Pursuit operations are now being conducted by troopers of the 1003rd Infantry Brigade and 57th Infantry Battalion.

The rebels arrived near President Roxas Municipal Police Station around 3:30 a.m. onboard three commandeered vehicles – one forward truck, one Elf-type truck and a multi-cab.

The NPAs were reportedly wearing camouflage uniforms and tried to overrun the police station.

57th Infantry Battalion commander Lt. Col. Nilo Vinluan said the NPA attack failed because of the alertness of the police which was attributable to timely information from the community.

“The alert policemen occupied a favorable position at the second floor of the station and were able to deliver effective fire from there, preventing the entry of the attacking NPA,” Vinluan stressed.