Four police officers of the Philippine National Police, including a scene of the crime operative (SOCO) were killed while one officer was wounded in an encounter with suspected members of the New People’s Army at Barangay Sibayan, Bansalan, Davao del Sur at around 7:30 in the morning of Wednesday.
The police killed in action were identified as PO1 Rolly Benelayo, PO1 Joe Narvaza, PO1 Saro Mangutara of the Bansalan Municipal Police Station and SOCO PO1 Jayden May Rabor of Digos City. The wounded officer was PO3 Allen Arnado and was immediately brought to a nearby hospital.
According to PSUPT Marcelo Morales, Deputy Regional Director for Administration of Police Regional Office XI, the officers received a call at around 6:30 in the morning from the barangay captain of Barangay Sibayan, reporting a murder incident that happened the night before. The police responded immediately to the report and on their way to the crime scene at around 7:30 am, the encounter happened.
“It was a very unfortunate incident. Kasi yung mga police na gusto lang makatulong sa katahimikan at kaayusan ng ating bayan, sila pa ‘yong mga nagiging biktima ng karahasan,” PSUPT Morales expressed.
PSUPT Morales blamed the rebel New People’s Army for the death of the police officers, based on the numerous attacks they conducted since the lifting of the bilateral ceasefire.
He said there have been recent incidents such as targeting security forces (from the military and PNP), business establishments that would not succumb to their demands and burning of heavy equipment through improvised explosive devices committed by the NPA.
Morales said that the PNP will be conducting further investigations, considering all angles and possibilities as to how the incident happened, including all the persons who could have been involved.
