TACLOBAN City - Five persons, including two teachers and a policeman, were hurt in an ambush attack by alleged members of the New People's Army (NPA) on Wednesday in Pinabacdao, Samar.
The victims onboard a white passenger van were identified as Reynaldo Calipis, 51, driver; Elma Geli, 58; teachers Erixon Gacumo, 33, and Realy Del Rio, 22; all residents of Villareal, Samar.
Personnel of Pinabacdao Municipal Police Station onboard their patrol vehicle, were identified as PCpl Paul Hadlong, 34; PSSG Crisistomo Mabansag, 51; PCpl Reymart Romero, 30; and Patrolman Ace Denver Aharuddin, 24 .
Initial investigation disclosed that two roadside bombs exploded while the PNP patrol car and the white passenger van were traversing Maharlika Highway, in the vicinity of Brgy. Tagbayaon towards Catbalogan City at around 8 A.M.
Aharuddin suffered three gunshots and is reported to be in a stable condition.
Meanwhile, the four civilians onboard the passenger van were also injured.
Elements of the 2nd Samar Provincial Mobile Force Company are now conducting pursuit operations against the perpetrators. Checkpoints were also established.
Four improvised explosive devices (IED) were also recovered in a foiled ambush attempt by alleged communist rebels along Maharlika National Highway at the boundary of Barangays Pahug and Madalunot in May.
Last year, two employees of Toyota Motors also survived an IED ambush attack when their vehicle was mistaken for a police patrol car as they were passing along Maharlika Highway, at the boundary of Barangays Lale and Pahug.
Also in December, 2015, government troops and two female staff of the Department of Social Welfare and Development onboard two trucks coming from relief operations in Northern Samar during the onslaught of typhoon"'Nona" were ambushed by suspected armed rebels in the same boundary of Barangays Pahug and Madalunot.