Cops in Quezon police station relieved over NPA raid

Less than 24 hours after they were disarmed Sunday, all personnel in a police station raided by suspected communist rebels disguised as military men and media workers in Quezon province were relieved from their posts Monday. Cavite-Laguna-Batangas-Rizal-Quezon (Calabarzon) regional police head Chief Superintendent Perfecto Palad also ordered hot pursuit operations against the New People's Army rebels staged Sunday’s raid. "Yung aming mga pulis doon naka-assign sa San Narciso ni-relieve ko (I had the entire police force in the San Narciso town police station relieved)," Palad said in an interview on dzRH radio. The relieved policemen will also be investigated administratively for possible lapses in police operation procedures, he added. Palad said the relieved policemen will be replaced with men from the Philippine National Police Provincial Mobile Group. Palad also ordered added police personnel to go after the insurgents. Citing information reaching him, Palad said the rebels who staged the raid were led by Domingo Almazura and Miguela Teniera. Uniformed military men, media About 4 p.m. last Sunday, at least 25 suspected rebels disguised as uniformed military men and media attacked the police station in San Narciso town. Some of the rebels wore camouflage uniforms and carried high-powered firearms, but were accompanied by men allegedly posing as news reporters. The rebels disarmed the policemen and brought out assorted firearms. They did not harm the lawmen. The Communist Party of the Philippines, whose armed wing is the NPA, marks its 41st anniversary on December 26. "As usual pag anniversary nila, nagpapakitang gilas ang mga ito. Mukhang medyo di nakaalerto ang tao natin sa lugar na yan kaya sila napasok nang basta-basta (When their anniversary nears, the NPAs will try to show they are a force to be reckoned with. Yet our men in San Narciso town were not on alert when the NPAs got there)," Palad said. - RSJ, GMANews.TV