NDF confirms NPA behind Catanduanes ambush

The National Democratic Front (NDF) confirmed Sunday that communist rebels were behind the twin ambush that killed four policemen in Bicol before dawn Saturday. Radio dzRH reported Sunday morning that Greg Bañares, NDF spokesman for the region, said the New People’s Army (NPA) staged the attack and carted away their victims’ weapons. It said Bañares claimed the NPA got two M-16 rifles, two M-14 rifles, and a .45-caliber pistol from the four policemen, and suffered no casualty in Saturday’s incident. Killed were SPO1 Joseph Evangelista, PO3 Juan Dominguez, PO1 Darryl Parada, and PO1 Noli Lopez. NPAs killed the four policemen in a “twin ambush" at the house of Evangelista in Pandan town in Catanduanes province in Bicol before dawn Saturday. Initial investigation showed the NPAs first barged into the house of Evangelista and shot him, then shot the three more policemen who rushed to the scene. The incident occurred at about 5 a.m. at the house of Evangelista in Oga village in Pandan town in Catanduanes. Pandan is a fifth-class town in Catanduanes, with a population of 17,696 people in 3,181 households. - GMANews.TV