Bicol cops press offensive vs Masbate bombers
Police Regional Office 5 director Brig. Gen. Jonnel Estomo said local police maneuver forces are still in hot pursuit of the NPA guerrillas who detonated a landmine that killed a varsity football player and a kin in Masbate City on Sunday morning
In a report to Gen. Eleazar, the official said that the troops clashed with the suspected bombers five hours later in a nearby village.
Estomo said that security forces are continuously pressing pursuit operations against the CPP-NPA group behind the deadly landmine ambush that killed Masbate Electric Cooperative employee Nolven Tepalit Absalon, 34, and Keith Balandra Absalon, 21, a varsity football player of Far Eastern University in Bgy. Anas, Masbate City around 6:45 a.m. on Sunday.
Keith’s 16-year old relatives was wounded in the attack that came while the victims’ family were on a bicycle fun ride going to Bgy. Titong.
The attackers detonated an IED as the bikers approached and opened fire at the victims with assault rifles.
Responding police units from the Masbate City Police Station, the 1st Provincial Mobile Force Company of the Masbate Police Provincial Office, the PNP Maritime Group, the Provincial Explosives and Canine) and Scene of Crime Operations recovered at the crime scene five PVC pipe debris, 20 pieces cut 8-mm round bar bomb enhancement, one fragment of blasting cap, three misfired cartridge cases for caliber 7.62mm, 60 pieces of fired cartridge cases for caliber 5.56mm, and 19 fired cartridge cases for caliber 7.62.
Estomo said that as PNP units fanned out to nearby barangay in search of the attackers, a composite police team engaged an NPA band in a 10-minute gunbattle in Bgy. Mapiña at 11:30 a.m. on the same day.
The group was led by Eddie Rosero alias “Ka Star” and Jesmar Noel Flores alias “Ka Jesmar,” both NPA platoon leaders in the province.
No immediate reports of casualties were noted on both sides.
