By Perla Lena

ILOILO CITY - Two policemen of the Lambunao Municipal Police Station (MPS) were wounded and their patrol car was damaged when hit by a blast staged by the New People's Army in Barangay Pughanan, Lambunao, Iloilo Friday morning.

Their patrol car carrying a team of nine policemen fell on the side of the road as a result of the impact of the explosion.

Major Jogen Suegay, chief of police of the Lambunao MPS, said the team was on its way to adjacent Barangay Panuran when the improvised explosive device (IED) blew up at the sloping side of the road, considered as an “ambush area”.

The explosion was followed by a burst of gunfire, Suegay said, based on the testimonies of his men.

The team was supposed to conduct a follow-up investigation on alleged harassment by a communist terrorist group in the neighboring barangay.

“There is no other group here but the CPP-NPA (Communist Party of the Philippines-New People's Army),” he said when asked who could be behind the ambush.

Wounded were Senior Master Sgt. Christopher Losbañes who was hit by shrapnel on his hand and Staff Sgt. Jessie Fusin hit at the back of his head.

“Both are outpatients but our troops complained of pains in various parts of their body,” he added.

On Thursday, two separate encounters between government troops and the communist terrorist group were also reported.

The first incident was around 5 p.m. when the 12th Infantry Battalion was deployed under the community support program and tasked to secure the construction equipment at Barangay Panuran in Lambunao. They were fired upon by more or less seven members of the Samahang Yunit Propaganda, Baloy Platoon of the NPA.

After the firefight that lasted for about two minutes, the communist terrorist group fled towards the southwest direction.

After 15 minutes, a separate team of the 12th IB conducting security position at Barangay Agcarope, Janiuay town, encountered the same terrorist group, which again withdrew towards the northeast direction after a 10-minute gunbattle.

In an interview, Major Cenon Pancito III, spokesperson for the 3rd Infantry Division, said the recent NPA atrocities in Lambunao and Janiuay “solidify our data that indeed the area is where the Central Front of the Kilusang Rehiyong Panay is operating”.

“It is just rightful to deploy CSP (Community Support Program) Teams to these areas in order to clear the communities from enemy affectation. Our soldiers will not be cowed to deliver shots should they insist to continue terrorizing the people,” he said.

The CPP-NPA, which has been waging a five-decade armed struggle against the government, is listed as a terrorist organization by the United States, the European Union, the United Kingdom, Australia, Canada, New Zealand, and the Philippines. (PNA)