BALER, Aurora – A police officer was killed while another one was wounded in an ambush perpetrated by communists in Sitio Dicong, Barangay Villa Aurora, Maria Aurora, this province on Tuesday.
Lt. Col. Jose Mari F. Torrenueva II, commander of the Army’s 91st Infantry “Sinagtala” Battalion, identified the fatality as PO2 Marcial Ronald Ruidera, member of the 1st Aurora Provincial Mobile Force Company (APMFC).
Wounded was SPO2 Angelo Gawat, chief investigator of the Maria Aurora Police Station (MAPS). He is now being treated at the Premier General Hospital in Barangay Suklayin here.
Torrenueva said the operatives composed of personnel from 1st Aurora Provincial Mobile Force Company (APMFC), Maria Aurora Police Station (MAPS), and Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP) Maria Aurora were dispatched to conduct investigation into a reported arson incident in Sitio Dimabuyo, Barangay Villa Aurora.
“They were supposed to conduct an investigation on the arson incident wherein one unit of transit mixer owned by Roel Noel Gigi Mar Company was burned by heavily armed men,” Torrenueva said.
He said the government forces were in a convoy when fired upon by an undetermined number of rebels believed to be members of Kilusang Larangang Guerrilla (KLG) Sierra Madre at around 2 p.m.
An exchange of gunfire ensued resulting in the death of Ruidera and wounding of Gawat.
A report said the heavy equipment was believed torched by rebels at around 6 a.m. of Tuesday.
Torrenueva said the incidents clearly manifested that the rebels’ wrongdoings are not only an act of criminality but terrorism.
He said these barbaric acts have caused trauma on the affected business firm, employers, employees and residents.
“The peace-loving people here want to live without fear and free from any form of terroristic acts. The rebels’ action in the incidents simply showed their true nature as terrorists and that they continue to deceive the people to advance their selfish interest,” Torrenueva said.
Chief Supt. Amador Corpus, Police Regional Office-3 (PRO-3) director, strongly condemned the rebels’ continued acts of terrorism.
He urged the public to denounce these acts of violence and to continue to support the efforts of the Philippine National Police and the Armed Forces of Philippines by providing them information that may lead to the arrest of the perpetrators and bring them to the bar of justice.
Corpus assured the public that PRO-3, in collaboration with the AFP, will remain relentless in maintaining the peace and order in Central Luzon. (Jason De Asis/PNA)
