Beware of men-in-uniform who may suddenly visit police stations unannounced.

The warning was made by Senior Supt. Charles Calima, Negros Occidental police director, in the wake of intelligence reports that the New People's Army may stage an assault on either the police stations of Toboso, Calatrava, La Castellana, Isabela or Moises Padilla.

Calima cautioned policemen against rebels who may disguise themselves as Army soldiers, or regional or provincial mobile group troopers.

The 1st Provincial Mobile Group lost eight firearms, including an M-60 machine gun, to the New People's Army guerillas who had raided its police outpost in an upland area of Escalante City on March 19.

Police records show that the New People's Army has seized 97 guns, 74 of which were assault rifles, from police stations across the country, including in Negros Occidental, in less than four months. Calima said surprise and unannounced visits on police outposts are no longer allowed. Policemen must challenge any inspection team and not allow them to enter police stations, he said.

An estimated 30 New People's Army guerillas attacked an Army detachment in Brgy. Villegas, Guihulngan, on April 22.

However, the attempt of the rebels to overrun the Villegas detachment ended with 10 rebels killed in a two-hour gunbattle, Lt. Col. Jess Manangquil, 11th Infantry Battalion commander, said.

Two injured rebels are being treated at the Villegas Memorial Hospital in Guihulngan, Manangquil added. Calima reminded police chiefs to maintain a sizeable force at the police station, and to remain vigilant to pre-empt any possible rebel attacks.

At the same time, he also ordered PMG commanders to conduct checkpoints at any time of the day.*GPB

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