8 cops, 1 village exec killed in Northern Samar NPA attack

(Updated 4:44 pm) Eight policemen and a local village official in Northern Samar were killed in two separate but possibly related attacks staged by alleged members of the New People's Army (NPA) on Saturday morning. Chief Superintendent Arnold Revilla, Eastern Visayas regional police director, said the suspected communist rebels "executed" village councilor Rolando de Guia in his house in Barangay Imelda in Catarman town, the provincial capital, at about 5:30 a.m. At around 8:30 a.m., elements from the local police were able to get near the crime scene, which was a kilometer away from the town proper and could only be reached by negotiating a dirt road. But the responding police team, led by deputy police head Senior Superintendent Necasio San Antonio, was attacked by around 40 suspected communist rebels, some 500 meters away from De Guia's house. The ambush began when two landmines exploded on the path of the lawmen's Hilux patrol car. A report of The Associated Press, also citing Revilla, said that once the landmines exploded, the rebels fired on the officers in the burning vehicle, killing all eight. "Direct hit yung patrol car natin so total wreck iyong patrol car natin at nasunog [The patrol car was directly hit by the landmines. It was a total wreck and it burned down]," Revilla said. He also said that San Antonio was charred almost beyond recognition. The rebels seized seven pistols and four assault rifles from the slain officers, who were also stripped of their uniforms, the AP report said, citing the regional police chief. Revilla said investigators could not yet go near the crime scene as ordnance officials are still clearing the area of any other landmine. Hot-pursuit operations are on going as of posting time. A Ranger company attached to the Philippine Army's 8th Infantry Division have augmented government forces in the province, while two military helicopters scoured the area in trying to locate the assailants. Renewed attacks, peace talks The communist-led rebel army, which has been waging a 41-year-old insurgency, have become more active this year, attacking remote military and police outposts to seize weapons and enforce their presence especially during the recent election campaign. Last month, NPA rebels ambushed a team of an elite reconnaissance company on an Army truck in Bontoc, capital town of Mountain Province, killing seven and seizing their firearms. Peace talks brokered by Norway have been suspended since 2004 after the rebels accused the government of instigating their inclusion on U.S. and European terrorist lists. The Communist Party of the Philippines said in a statement last month that the rebel alliance, the National Democratic Front of the Philippines, was willing to resume formal talks with the government led by newly-elected President Benigno Aquino III. The NDFP panel, led by Filipino communists in exile, is based in The Netherlands. The Aquino government has already appointed the head of its peace negotiating panel.— LBG, GMANews.TV