Cop shot dead by communist rebels

Saturday, May 26, 2012
A POLICE officer was shot dead Thursday afternoon by suspected communist rebels in Barangay Umagos, Lagonglong town in Misamis Oriental, a top police official said.

Killed was Police Officer 1 Al Tinampay, a resident of Lagonglong town and was assigned as intelligence operative at the Lagonglong Municipal Police Station.

Senior Superintendent Graciano Mejares, Misamis Oriental Provincial Police director, told Sun.Star Cagayan de Oro that the victim was shot dead around 3:25 p.m. Thursday while conducting intelligence surveillance in Barangay Umagos.

Mejares said the victim was shot by five suspected members of the Sparrow Unit of the New People’s Army (NPA).

The attackers, who were reportedly armed with .45 caliber handguns, approached the victim and fired at him at close range.

Tinampay succumbed to two gunshot wounds in the head.

Authorities recovered some empty shells of .45 caliber at the crime scene.

Mejares said they cannot determine yet the motive of the killing, though they already suspected the NPA rebels behind the crime, especially since the victim’s 9mm service firearm is missing.

Responding policemen and soldiers conducted pursuit operation and scoured neighboring villages and towns where the NPA rebels reportedly fled.

Mejares ordered an alert status of the entire Misamis Oriental including the conduct of checkpoints while pursuit operation is ongoing.

“I am calling on our policemen to be always vigilant and consider their personal security. If they have operations especially in ‘hot spot areas,’ they should go in teams,” he said. (Annabelle L. Ricalde)
Source http://www.sunstar.com.ph/cagayan-de-oro/local-news/2012/05/26/cop-shot-dead-communist-rebels-223467