Armed men raid Albuera police station

By Philippine Information Agency (PIA 8)
January 7, 2006

TACLOBAN CITY, Leyte  –  In the middle of a brownout, heavily armed men suspected to be members of the NPA entered the Albuera Police Station at about 7:00 o’clock in the evening of January 6, hogtied the two policemen on duty, ransacked the office and lockers and carted away 21 pieces M16 rifles and 8 pieces caliber 38 revolvers and confidential documents.

In an interview with Col. Blando, chief of operation of the Provincial Philippine National Police and Police Senior Inspector Rodolfo Lomot of the Albuera Police Station, PIA 8 learned that the Albuera town was experiencing brown out when armed men aboard two close vans and one multicab entered the police station surprising the two policemen on duty and the three other policemen who were at the kitchen having dinner. The two policemen who were at the office were hogtied and made to lie down on the floor. The three policemen were made to lie face down on the floor.

Captain Lomot revealed that some men who were on foot conducted blocking force on both sides of the road going to Baybay and Ormoc. He said that the exact number of the armed men cannot be determined but estimated the raiding men to be about 100, saying that they were heavily armed with M14, M16 and three M60 machine guns.

After getting the police ammunitions and confidential documents, the men fled in the dark. The Albuera police immediately coordinated with the army troopers of the 19th IB based in Kananga and the 43rd IB based in Baybay who are now conducting massive manhunt operations.

PNP Leyte Provincial Director William Valencia when reached, just flew in from Manila where he attended a conference and was on his way to Albuera direct from the Tacloban airport. True enough, he was conducting a conference with Captain Lomot when re-contacted.

Captain Lomot confirmed the increase in the incidence of insurgency in Albuera especially in the mountain barangays of Sherwood, Salvacion, Tinag-an and Mahayahay which are four of the sixteen barangays of the municipality of Albuera, the town next to the city of Ormoc.

Captain Lomot, however, allayed the fears of the constituents saying that the PNP and the military are closely coordinating to ensure the safety of the people.