LEGAZPI, Philippines - Four police officers and three civilians were wounded during a clash with suspected communist rebels on Thursday in Masbate province.
on when the elements of 506th police provincial mobile group led PCI Ronaldo Fulo encountered undetermined number of communist terrorists along National Road barangay Pinamangcaan in Mandaon town in Masbate 11:30 AM Thursday.
Supt. Theodore Sindac, Masbate police provincial director, identified the wounded cops as PO1 Juvy Llunar, PO1 Mark Ian Antiporda, PO1 Alberto Totanes and PO1 Rommel Prac. Llunar and Antiporda were airlifted at Aquinas Hospital in Legazpi while Totanes and Prac were teated at Masbate provincial Hospital.
The injured civilians were Editha Race, 52, of Barangay San Pablo in Balud town; Gilbert Leonor, 44, from Barangay Espinosa in Masbate City; and Shelyn Alvarez, 14, of Barangay Looc in Balud town. The victims were declared out of danger.
According to Sindac, the firefight lasted for about two-and-a-half hours.
Sindac said he has alerted the police to check on hospitals and clinics for possible wounded rebels. - Michael B. Jaucian, GMANews.TV