OVER the last two and a half years, while it seemed like skirmishes involving state forces and the New People’s Army in the Visayas had died down, there were actually nearly a dozen such incidents. None, however, was as deadly as last Friday’s ambush in Guihulngan City in Negros Oriental that cost the lives of six policemen, including the city’s police chief, and of a civilian bodyguard of a city councilor.
December 2015 — Two soldiers were wounded in an ambush shortly after delivering relief goods to Northern Samar, which was reeling from devastation brought about by Typhoon Nona.
March 2016 — Rebels raided a police station in Balangkayan town, Eastern Samar and escaped with 17 firearms, laptops, and personal belongings of policemen. The five policemen on duty were overpowered by at least 20 armed rebels. No one was hurt.
April 2016 — Five soldiers were injured in an ambush by rebels in Barangay New San Agustin, Basey town in Samar. The soldiers were traversing a highway when they hit a land mine laid by suspected NPA rebels.
May 2016 — Three soldiers were killed while two others were wounded when they were ambushed by rebels while patrolling an area in Barangay Isidro, Toboso town in Negros Occidental. The NPA owned up the ambush.
March 30, 2017 — Rebels staged separate attacks on military detachments in Samar. No one was hurt.
June 9, 2017 — A roadside bomb placed by suspected NPA rebels exploded when a police patrol car passed by in Giporlos town, Samar. Fortunately, the four policemen on board the vehicle were unscathed.
July 20, 2017 — An encounter took place
between a group of NPA rebels and troopers of the 62nd Infantry Battalion in Barangay Marcelo, Calatrava town, Negros Occidental.
July 21, 2017 — Six policemen and a civilian were killed while three other policemen, a councilor, and a civilian were wounded in two separate attacks staged by suspected NPA rebels in Barangay Magsaysay, Guihulngan City.
Source: CDN Research