Wednesday, February 8, 2017

NPA officer killed

From the Mindanao Times (Feb 8): NPA officer killed

Suspect refuses to give up as cops serve arrest warrant

AN ALLEGED regional supply officer of the New People’s Army (NPA) was killed in a police shootout in Barangay Ma-a, Talomo District around 5:30 p.m. on Monday.

Glenn Ramos, alias Berdan, 40, reportedly refused to give up when joint operatives of the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) XI and the Special Weapons And Tactics (SWAT) team of the Davao City Police Office (DCPO) arrived to serve a warrant of arrest in his house at Purok 4, Don Julian Village, Ma-a.

Ramos was facing attempted homicide case before Municipal Trial Court in the Cities Branch 6 judge Nanette Gustilo Lemana.

According to the police report, the authorities were about to serve the warrant of arrest against Ramos. But the alleged NPA officer fired upon the officers. A gunfight ensued.

After the shootout, the suspect was brought by the team to the Southern Philippines Medical Center (SPMC) for medical treatment. However, he was declared dead on arrival.

Police recovered in the crime scene a .38 caliber revolver with five live ammunitions, fired cartridge cases, one fragmentation grenade, one improvised explosive device (IED) with electrical wire, two cellular phones, 29 pieces of 7.62mm live ammos and 5.56mm blank ammos.

The recovered items were brought the CIDG XI.

Capt. Rhyan Batchar, spokesperson of 10th Infantry Division, confirmed that Ramos was an NPA officer.

But Chief Insp. Johanna May Lagundi, CIDG XI chief of operation, said they are still on the process of validating the information that Ramos was an NPA member.

DCPO director Sr. Supt. Michael John Dubria also told reporters in a separate interview at the conference room of the Public Safety and Security Company (PSSCC) that he could not categorically pinpoint that Ramos was a member of the underground movement that President Rodrigo Duterte recently branded as terrorist group.

Ramos is the first NPA officer killed in action after President Duterte ended the peace talks with the communist group.

President Duterte also ordered those temporarily-freed officers of the National Democratic Front-Philippines to give up.

Threat

In yesterday press conference at the PSSCC, authorities still consider the NPA as a threat in the city.

Government officials are doing proactive measures to ensure the safety of the city from any possible threats.

“We want to be assured that such threats will not come in the city but will be interdicted outside,” PSSCC chief Benito De Leon said.

De Leon said there will be more police amd military patrols in the city.

Brig. Gen. Gilbert Gapay, the commander of Joint Task Force Haribon, said they have already deployed additional troops in certain areas to strengthen the number of the security force.

They have also deployed additional Explosive Ordnance Disposal and K9 units to respond immediately on possible threats.

Gapay said that during the ceasefire the NPAs took advantage to consolidate their forces.

They continued to do atrocities, such as extortion and arson, in some parts of the region, Gapay said.

He said that it is possible that the NPA may have an alliance with other local terrorist groups since they have similar ways in doing activities.

“They are similar in doing extortion, abduction, burnings, and attack,” he added.

Based on the records of the 10th Infantry Division, there were already 42 atrocities attributed to the NPA since August last year.

Capt. Rhyan Batchar, the division spokesperson, said the incidents included nine attacks, one ambush and abductions of five civilians and one soldier.

Also, he blamed the rebels for the series of torching incidents involving buses, heavy equipment and passenger vans. They were able also to record one coercion incident, two disarming incidents and murder of two civilians.
 

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