4 cops killed by suspected NPA rebels in Negros Oriental ambush

DUMAGUETE CITY - Four police officers were killed after they were ambushed by suspected New People's Army (NPA) rebels in Sitio Yamot, Barangay Mabato in Ayungon town, Negros Oriental Thursday afternoon.

As of this writing, the names of the casualties have yet to be released. Ayungon Deputy Police chief Executive Master Sergeant Roel Abregana said all the casualties were from Negros.

Initial reports from the Negros Oriental Provincial Police Office (NORPPO) showed that the four police officers were on board two motorcycles on the way to the home of a certain "Anadon" when they were ambushed by suspected rebels.

Police Regional Office (PRO)-7 regional director Police Brigadier General Debold Sinas identified the fatalities as Police Corporal Relebert Beronio, Patrolman Raffy Callao, Patrolman Ruel Cabellon, and Patrolman Marquino de Leon.

The four victims were members of the Regional Mobile Force Battalion-7, assigned to a detachment in Sitio Nabangka, Barangay Mabato in Ayungon town.

Initial investigation showed that the four police officers were verifying intel reports about the presence of NPA rebels in the area.

They were on board two motorcycles on their way to the house of Oto Anadon, their contact in the area, when they were waylaid and fired upon by the suspected rebels.

Sinas noted that the alleged rebels carted away the four police officers' service firearms. Authorities were also unable to recover the motorcycles used by the victims.

Their bodies were only recovered Thursday evening, after military and police personnel held clearing operations in the ambush site.

Barangay Mabato is a hinterland barangay in Ayungon town, about 84 kilometers from the province's capital of Dumaguete city. The village itself is located near the border between Negros Oriental and Negros Occidental.

On July 21, 2017, a similar ambush occurred in Barangay Magsaysay, Guihulngan City, Negros Oriental, where six police officers were killed. Among those slain was the city's then police chief, Superintendent Arnel Arpon. — BAP, GMA News