(Infographic from PRO5's Facebook page)
LEGAZPI CITY – The Police Regional Office in Bicol (PRO5) has condemned the New People's Army (NPA) for attacking government troops who were to serve a warrant of arrest in Sitio Tucao, Barangay JMA, San Miguel town in Catanduanes that killed a police officer.
Brig. Gen. Jonnel Estomo, PRO5 regional director, said the manhunt operation against two No. 1 Provincial Most Wanted Persons conducted by operatives from the San Miguel Municipal Police Station and First Provincial Mobile Force Company of Catanduanes Police Office on Tuesday ended in the NPA's brutal killing of SMS John Teston.
“Mariin naming kinukondena ang pananambang sa ating mga kasamahan sa San Miguel, Catanduanes kaninang umaga. Ito ay isang kasuklam-suklam na pangyayari at nagpapakita lamang ng karuwagan at kawalang pag galang sa awtoridad. Ang ating mga pulis ay naroon lamang upang gampanan ang kanilang mga tungkulin na ipatupad ang batas. (We are condeming the ambush against our fellow police officers in San Miguel Catanduanes early today. This is disguting and only shows cowardness and no respect to the authorities. Our policemen are just doing their jobs in enforcing the law)," Estomo said in a statement sent to reporters Tuesday night.
In a follow-up interview on Wednesday, Maj. Malu Calubaquib, PRO5 spokesperson, said Teston was assigned at the San Miguel Police Station.
"The police operatives were about to serve the warrant of arrest against two top provincial most wanted persons with 25 counts of rape and violation of PD (Presidential Decree) 705 (Forestry Reform Code of the Philippines). Sad to say, the police operatives did not get them and when they are about to withdraw in the area, they were attacked by more or less 15 rebels," Calubaquib said.
The police officers were fired at by the rebels while they were on their way back to the station, she said.
"As part of the directives of Brig. Gen. Estomo, troops from Catanduanes PPO, and 83rd Infantry Battalion were deployed to the area to ensure the safety of the other policemen. After the rescue operation, the other five policemen were rescued in the house of the barangay captain," Calubaquib said.
The rebels were able to get the cellphone, wallet, copy of the warrant of arrest, and service firearm of Teston, whose body was brought to the St. Peter Funeral Homes, in Virac, Catanduanes for post-mortem examination.
Recovered at the clash site was one empty bullet of a 7.62-caliber and 12 empty bullets of 5.56-caliber firearms.
Calubaquib said continued operations and investigation were being conducted to identify the suspects behind the police officer's killing.
"We are saddened by the untimely death of our brother in arms and we send our deepest sympathies to his family. We make sure that we are ready to help. We are also asking the help of the public for the immediate resolution of this incident," Estomo added in his statement.
Meanwhile, Catanduanes Governor Joseph Cua, in a post on his social media page on Tuesday night, said: "An sakuyang pakikidumamay sa pamilya ni PSMS John D. Teston o mas bistado sa ngalang Rambo. (My symphathy with the family of PSMS John D. Teston or popularly known as Rambo)."
Justice must be served on the police officer's death, he added.
The Communist Party of the Philippines-NPA is listed as a terrorist organization by the United States, European Union, the United Kingdom, Australia, Canada, New Zealand, and the Philippines.
The Anti-Terrorism Council also formally designated the National Democratic Front as a terrorist organization on June 23, 2021, citing it as “an integral and separate part” of the CPP-NPA that was created in April 1973. (PNA)
