Military: 3 dead in Agusan police station attack

The death toll from an attack by suspected communist rebels on a police station in Agusan del Sur Saturday rose to three, the military said. According to the Army's 401st Brigade, the fatalities were all civilians, one of them a former Citizens Armed Forces Geographical Unit (CAFGU) member. “This failed attack is nothing but an act of desperation," according to Col. Romeo Gan, 401st brigade commander. A policeman was also wounded in the attack, the 401st Brigade said. Earlier Saturday, Caraga police head Chief Superintendent Reynaldo Rafal said at least one civilian was killed while two policemen and an undetermined number of suspected communist rebels were injured in the predawn attack on the Trento town police station in Agusan del Sur province. Rafal claimed that about 200 suspected New People's Army members tried to overrun the police station but fled after the policemen held their ground. "Definitely they want to overrun the station with their number, [and] their determined attack, umabot ng isang oras. When they sensed palapit ang reinforcements they were forced to withdraw," Rafal said in an interview on dzBB radio. The 401st Brigade said there were 40 NPAs involved in the attack. It added the NPAs fled towards Pulang Lupa — New Visayas road of Trento town. "It can be recalled that a similar attempt also failed when the NPA attacked but failed to seize the Lianga PNP station in Surigao del Sur in May this year," it said. It added the NPAs "are very desperate for funds that they have to resort to attacking soft targets in order to sow fear and bolster their extortion activities." — JE, GMA News