AUTHORITIES accused New People’s Army (NPA) guerrillas as behind Thursday’s ambush of a convoy of Agusan del Norte Gov. Ma. Angelica Rosedell Amante Matba that left one policeman wounded.
Philippine National Police (PNP) Supt. Martin Gamba said Matba and her escorts were on their way back to the provincial capitol when they were attacked.
Gamba, spokesman of the PNP Regional Office 13, said the ambush wounded one of Matba’s escorts, PO1 Vincent Salvador Dubouzet Jr.
Matba and the rest of her security personnel escaped unscathed, Gamba said. The ambush occurred around 11:20 a.m. on Thursday at Kilometer 12, Sitio Hinandayan, Barangay Camagong, Nasipit, a third-class municipality of Agusan del Norte, with a population of 40,663. Government data revealed 34.9 percent of the population was considered poor in 2009. The provincial governor’s convoy included five vehicles, including the car bearing Matba and employees of the provincial capitol.
Gamba said the governor and her team were already returning to the provincial capitol from Camagong when they were fired upon. The governor attended a turnover of a schoolbuilding in Barangay Camagong to school officials.
Gamba said they estimate there were eight attackers who, he added, were forced to withdraw after Matba’s escort returned fire. The ambush triggered an exchange of gunfire for about 40 seconds, wherein the rebels were forced to withdraw.
The governor and the rest of the VIPs safely left the ambush area, while Dubouzet was brought to one of the hospitals in Butuan City and now in stable condition, according to Gamba. He urged all PNP “to be on alert and conduct strong checkpoint operations in their respective area of responsibility.”
Gamba said they are coordinating with the AFP to pursue the attackers.
Rene Acosta