Butuan cops thwart rebel attack on police station

In a report from Camp Col. Rafael C. Rodriguez in Butuan City, SPO2 Zena Panaligan, a police information officer, said local police officers of Station 5 engaged in a gunfight with about 40 New People’s Army terrorists in Brgy. San Mateo. (ShutterStock image)

MANILA— Policemen repelled communist rebels who tried to overrun a police station Thursday in Butuan City, Agusan del Norte .

In a report from Camp Col. Rafael C. Rodriguez in Butuan City, SPO2 Zena Panaligan, a police information officer, said local police officers of Station 5 engaged in a gunfight with about 40 New People’s Army terrorists in Brgy. San Mateo.

The firefight started at around 9:36 a.m. and lasted for about 20 minutes. The police officers stood their ground.

“Rebels retreated neither getting any weapon and ammunition nor hurting any policeman. Our troops believed to have inflicted casualty on the enemy side,” Chief Supt. Noli Romana, Caraga Police director, said.

Troops from the Regional Mobile Force Battalion and Butuan City Mobile Force Company reinforced and conducted clearing operations.

Philippine National Police (PNP)-Caraga has condemned the violence that brought fear and traumatic experiences to the peace-loving communities in the area.

“We urge the people to help the PNP and AFP (Armed Forces of the Philippines) in suppressing insurgency in the region by reporting the terrorists’ presence and illegal activities to the nearest police/army unit,” Romana added.