On the wee hours of the night of September 15, 2003, the police station of the municipality of Sta. Lucia, Ilocos Sur was attacked and burned by unidentified perpetrators. This resulted to the death of three police officers namely, SPO2 Ricardo Isidro, SPO2 Simeon Aquino and PO3 Alberto Barbado.
According to sources obtained by this author, the leftist
National People’s Army (NPA) claimed responsibility of the attack in connection and
retribution of the military operations conducted by the Philippine Army with
the assistance of SPO2 Isidro. My sources also disclosed that unidentified women entered
the police station around 11:30 PM asking for SPO2 Isidro, in which the desk officer that
time was Isidro. From thereon there were shooting outburst and exchanges of gunfire form
both sides. Lastly, when the attackers were about to leave the scene, they poured gasoline
to burn an owner type jeep and pushed it towards the police station.
Auspiciously, the fire did not raze the nearby town hall
and residential houses adjacent to the police station due to the quick response of the
firefighters of nearby towns and city. Luckily, our townmate SPO3 Jeoffrey Palacio was
off-duty at the time of the incident.
/:susan (S.A.E.)
