Cauayan cop injured in gun attack

By Glazyl Y. Masculino

BACOLOD CITY – The gun attack against a police officer in Barangay Inayawan, Cauayan, Negros Occidental last Friday, was being probed as a possible insurgency-related incident.

Police Lt. Col. Lowell Garinganao, head of Cauayan Police, said that the 36-year-old policeman with a rank of corporal, sustained a lone gunshot wound to his left arm.

Garinganao said the officer was outside their house about to ride his motorcycle, when gunshots fired at around 7:30 a.m.

At least five unidentified persons armed with high-powered firearms were reported to be hiding in the tall grasses near the officer’s house, he added.

The officer managed to run and hid at a retired cop’s house nearby. He failed to retaliate as he was unsure of the enemy’s position.

Garinganao said the officer is recuperating in an undisclosed hospital.

Recovered from the scene were a dud bullet, a fired bullet, and slugs of an AK47 rifle.

The officer was assigned as one of the patrol members of the Cauayan Municipal Police Station. But, prior to that, he was one of the operatives in the police station’s anti-illegal drug drive.

Prior to the attack, there were some individuals asking information about the officer, according to Garinganao.

Garinganao said that the officer had no threats related to his work, but considering the recovered ammunition and the area which is identified as partially infested by rebels, they are closely probing the incident as insurgency-related.