New People's Army fighters raided the Community Police Assistance Center of the Philippine National Police 1st Provincial Mobile Group in Barangay Malasibog, Escalante City, 6 a.m. yesterday and divested government troopers of their firearms, Senior Supt. Charles Calima, PNP provincial director, said.

About 30 to 40 NPA fighters, including one woman, overran the detachment while two policemen and eight Civilian Volunteer Organization members were having breakfast and were caught unaware, Calima said.

Taken from the detachment by the NPA fighters were two M-14, two M-16 and three Garand rifles, a .45 caliber pistol and one M-60 light machine gun, Calima said.

Some of the detachment personnel had gone to secure a fiesta dance and had returned to their post at 3 a.m. yesterday, Calima said.

Calima said warnings had been given to PNP personnel, especially in northern Negros, against possible NPA attacks before the incident.

PO3 Antonio Bravo, the Malasibog detachment commander, and the 1st PMG director, Supt. Flomar Natuel, were relieved from their post following the raid, Calima said.

Senior Inspector Argel Ancheta, who is handling the Scout Ranger orientation course training of 38 policemen, is the new 1st PMG director. He will bring in the 38 Scout Ranger trainees who will be absorbed by the 1st PMG, Calima said.

Chief Supt. Doroteo Reyes, PNP regional commander, arrived in Negros Occidental to personally supervise pursuit operations against the NPA raiders.

Troops from the Negros Occidental Provincial Police Office, 6th Regional Mobile Group, 11th Infantry Battalion and Philippine Air Force were conducting pursuit operations yesterday, Calima said.

An MG-520 attack helicopter and two Huey helicopters were providing air cover for the Army and PNP troops inserted in Northern Negros to pursue the NPA raiders yesterday, he added.

RGMA Super Radyo reported that the NPA raiders sent a woman who posed as a visitor to the detachment and soon after the NPA troopers in full battle gear and fatigues pretending to be Army personnel conducting a foot patrol rushed into the detachment.

They shouted that anyone who fights back would be killed, an Army intelligence officer told RGMA.

Some of the CVOs were sleeping and the guard on duty was eating with the others so they were caught unaware, the RGMA source said.

The NPA raiders also took personal belongings of the detachment occupants, including uniforms and the cellphone of Bravo, RGMA reported.

Three of the raiders were wearing bonnets and could be former para-militarymen, the intelligence source said.

However, Bravo who was hoping to recognize their voices was unable to identify them as they did not speak, the source said.

Natuel told Super Radyo that, while what happened was a setback, he was thankful that his personnel were unharmed.*CPG

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