Cop killed, 3 others hurt in Pangasinan clash with NPA rebels

A police officer was killed while three others were wounded in an encounter with undetermined number of suspected New People’s Army rebels in San Nicolas, Pangasinan, on Friday morning.

Chief Inspector Arnold Soriano, chief of police of San Nicolas, said they have received initial information about the encounter but they have yet to retrieve the bodies.

Initial report showed that at around 9:30 a.m., members of Regional Public Safety Battallion 1, while on major combat operation, chanced upon the rebels along the mountainous boundary of Brgy. Sta Maria  and Brgy Malico.

Soriano said they had difficulty communicating with their men during the clash as the area was remote.

Eventually, however, additional teams from the Provincial Public Safety Company and 84th Infantry Battalion of the Philippine Army were deployed as reinforcements.

Other nearby towns in the 6th district of the province were placed on full alert following the clash. —Amita Legaspi/KBK/KVD, GMA News