Four policemen died in an encounter with communist rebels in Ayungon town, Negros Oriental on Thursday afternoon.
Police Master Sgt. Roel Abrigana, the deputy chief of Ayungon Police Station, confirmed the deaths of these policemen whose bodies are in their police station as of 7:50 p.m.
Abrigana revealed that these policemen, who are members of the Regional Mobile Force Battalion in Region 7 (RMFB-7) deployed there, died after they were ambushed by alleged armed rebels while conducting surveillance in Sitio Yamot, Barangay Mabato.
He further said that these policemen were intelligence officers who were wearing plain clothes during the ambush.
As of this writing, Abrigana said they will still bring the dead bodies to Bindoy District Hospital for proper examination while also waiting for PNP’s SOCO.
These policemen were part of a company under RMFB-7. Abrigana said they bore the ranks of Patrolman and Patrolman First Class.
The families of the slain policemen were already informed of their deaths. Two of them are from Siaton town while the other two are from Ayungon and Tayasan.
Capt. Cenon Pancito III, chief of the Philippine Army’s 3rd Infantry Division Public Affairs Office, said they have mobilized their own troops on the ground in pursuit of the rebels who fled after the firefight. //