Town police chief in Quezon feared captured by NPA

Three police officers, including the top police official of a town in Quezon province, were believed to be captured by communist rebels following an ambush on Sunday afternoon. Authorities identified the captured policemen as Senior Inspector Glenn Miralles, chief of police of San Andres town; PO1 Arvin Sayson; and PO1 Christopher Ic. "We consider them as missing, nagko-conduct na [kami] ng follow-up operations (We're already conducting follow-up operations)," said Chief Inspector Javier Basis, spokesman of the Quezon Police Office. Colonel Generoso Bolina from the military's Southern Luzon Command said the police team was "performing election duties" when ambushed by more or less 40 New People's Army (NPA) rebels at Sitio Dao in Barangay Talisay, San Andres, Quezon. Basis said the incident occurred at around 2 p.m. He also said two policemen were wounded in the ambush, while a rebel was killed. "Nagsasagawa sila ng security patrol for the barangay and SK elections tomorrow nung ma-ambush (They were conducting security patrol for the barangay and SK elections tomorrow when attacked)," Basis said. The Philippines will hold synchronized barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan (SK) elections on Monday. - KBK, GMANews.TV