Police Convoy Ambush In Bukidnon Left With One Cop Dead

BUKIDNON – Armed men ambushed a police convoy in Bukidnon on Wednesday morning left with one police officer killed.

According to SunStar, the convoy carried a high-ranking police official in the province, identified as Brigadier General Joselito Salido, a director of Eastern Mindanao’s Directors for Integrated Police Operations.

Reports from the Police Regional Office in Northern Mindanao said that Salido is safe from the ambush.

They also state that the armed suspects fired at his convoy as the vehicles traveled Barangay Tikalaan and Dominorog, Talakag Bukidnon at around 6:40 AM on that day.

The fatality was identified as Police Corporal Roel Sumaylo. There are three more who was injured from the encounter who are identified as Police Captain Ramil Gighe, Senior Master Sergeant Giovanni Malinab and Corporal Jerwin Genilla, all brought to a Cagayan de Oro private hospital.

Brigadier General Bernard Banac, Philippine National Police (PNP) spokesperson said that the police are currently in hot pursuit of the suspects. They also close the road where the incident occurred as they have coordinated with the military in hunting the assailants.

As per the report, the suspects are said to be communist fighters or members of a criminal group.

“Sa kasalukuyan ay safe naman si Brigadier General Salido at ang kanyang party at kasalukuyan isinasagawa ang manhunt and hot pursuit operations laban doon sa mga suspects na nagsagawa nitong pananambang kaninang umaga,”
“Sa ngayon ay wala pang matukoy kung sino pagkakalilanlan ng mga suspects pero may mga initial tayo pinaghihinalaan na maaaring myembro itong CTG (Communist Terrorist Group) NPA (New People’s Army) na may presence sa lugar na yan pero hindi natin maisantabi na maaring criminal group lamang ang nagsagawa nito,”

They have yet to confirm if Salido received threats to his life.