3 police escorts of FDA chief killed by suspected NPA members

THREE POLICE escorts of Food and Drugs Administration Director General Nela Charade-Puno were killed in an ambush in Camarines Sur on Thursday morning, Oct. 18. Police authorities reported that the incident happened at 9:10 a.m. along the national highway in Barangay Napolidan while Ms. Puno and her escorts were on their way to Daet, Camarines Norte. Around 20 “communist terrorists,” referring to the New People’s Army (NPA), the armed groups of the Communist Party of the Philippines, attacked the patrol car of the security escorts. The victims were identified as Senior Police Officer 1 (SPO1) Percival S. Rafael, PO3 Carlito S. Navarroza, and PO1 Ralph Jason D. Vida. Three other escorts were injured and rushed to the Bicol Medical Center. Philippine National Police Director General Oscar D. Albayalde said the suspects might have been targeting the firearms of the police. — Vince Angelo C. Ferreras