By ERWIN MASCARIÑAS
Correspondent .
BUTUAN City – A police officer was wounded after suspected New People’s Army guerrillas attacked a police station in the hinterland barangay of San Mateo here yesterday morning.
The community was about to celebrate its annual village fiesta.
Senior Insp. Henry Samillano, commander of Butuan City Police Station 5, said some 50 rebels attacked the police station at around 5:30 am, shooting it from the other side of a bridge.
Samillano said officers were caught offguard but later recovered and stood their ground for about 30 minutes.
The Caraga police identified the wounded officer as PO1 Ritchel Golandrina. His right thigh was hit by a bullet.
At the time of the attack, there were 19 officers, including an augmentation force from this city police’s mobile force company, and two Army soldiers, inside the police station located about 25.5 kilometers from the city proper.
Troops from the Regional Mobile Force Battalion and Butuan City Mobile Force Company reinforced and conducted clearing operations.
Police director for Caraga Chief Supt. Gilberto Cruz said it is possible that the officers and soldiers wounded some of the rebels who hid in the bushes.
“Hospitals or clinics will be checked for possible admission of patients with gunshot wounds,” said Cruz.
Jonathan Morales, 43, of San Mateo, said his family feared of being caught in the crossfires.
“My children were traumatized. They are all very young. It was our first time to experience something this horrifying,” said Morales whose house was riddled with 17 bullets.
The attack was the third on the same police station. The first attack was on Nov. 3, 2017, and the second, this April 13.
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