Armed men claiming to be New People’s Army rebels raided a coastal police outpost in Brgy. Vito, Sagay City, at past 6 last night, and carted away two M-14 assault rifles, but spared the lives of two militiamen.

Supt. William Señoron, Sagay police chief, said five armed men barged into the police precinct and disarmed the two paramilitary men who  were having dinner.

The raiders who were backed up by companions who surrounded the police outpost, also took police uniforms, before fleeing towards a waiting pump boat in Brgy. Vito, Sagay City, Señoron said.

Two policemen, who were only armed with pistols, responded to the raid and pursued the suspects. However, the presence of many civilians prompted the policemen not to fire their guns  for fear that bystanders could be hit in the crossfire.

The “daring raid” on the police outpost located within the barangay poblacion, lasted only several minutes, Senior Supt. Rosendo Franco, Negros Occidental police director, said.

The two policemen assigned at the outpost had just left to prepare dinner, when the attack occurred, police investigations showed.

Police pursuit operations were still ongoing last night, in coordination with members of the Philippine Army, Franco said.

The raid came several months after a group of armed men, who also claimed to be NPA rebels, strafed and raided a marine sanctuary outpost at Maca Reef, Brgy. Old Sagay, Sagay City, where two Bantay Dagat members were injured.

The police are still verifying if the suspects are indeed NPA members, or the same group who raided the Sagay Marine Sanctuary outpost, Franco said.*GPB

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