Soria vows justice for police chief killed in Saturday evening ambush in Eastern Samar town

By RPCRD, Police Regional Office 8
September 30, 2013

CAMP KANGLEON, Palo, Leyte – The top police official in Eastern Visayas vowed justice for the two slain policemen, including a police commissioned officer, killed in an ambush by suspected members of the New People’s Army (NPA) Saturday night.

PCSupt. Elmer R. Soria, chief of the Police Regional Office 8 (PRO8), condemned the incident, labeling it as “senseless and treacherous.”

“This is a desperate act of the rebels to show that they are still a force to reckon with so they can justify their extortion activities especially with the coming barangay elections,” Soria said.

Soria immediately ordered pursuit operations to capture the fleeing rebels.

PInsp. Alberto Ayad, police chief of Arteche town in Eastern Samar, and two policemen were conducting mobile patrol operations when ambushed by undetermined number of suspected rebels at around 9:00 p.m. Saturday at the vicinity of Brgy. Central Elementary School.

Ayad sustained multiple gunshot wounds on different parts of his body and was killed in action.

Another policeman, PO1 July Juliata, also perished in the attack while PO3 Glorioso Nebril was critically wounded and was initially brought to Eastern Samar Provincial Hospital in Borongan City. He was later transferred to a hospital in Tacloban City.

The suspects failed to cart away the victims’ issued firearms, two M14 rifles and 2 9mm pistols, as they retreated upon sensing the arrival of responding policemen.

“PRO8 not only lost one of its most decorated officer but his family also lost a good husband and father,” the police regional chief added.

The slain police chief, a bemedalled cop, joined the Philippine National Police in 1995 and was commissioned as officer via lateral entry as member of “Rubasan” class of 2010.

Arteche is a third class town situated at northern part of Eastern Samar, some 130 kilometers from the provincial capital Borongan City and few kilometers away from the boundary to Northern Samar.

The ambush was perpetrated while the province was celebrating the 112th Balangiga Encounter Day that highlighted the heroism of Balangiganon against the American forces.