By Dominique Gabriel G. Bañaga

The remains of the police officers killed during last week’s New People’s Army (NPA) ambush in Guihulngan City were recently returned to their respective homes.
In an interview with Bombo Radyo-Bacolod, Guihulngan City Vice Mayor Ernesto Reyes said the remains of city police chief, Police Superintendent Arnel Arpon, were returned to the officer’s hometown of Hinoba-an, Negros Occidental, last Sunday, following necrological services.
Reyes also confirmed three of slain officers were from his city, while one hailed from neighboring La Libertad and the other from Jimalalud, Negros Oriental.
The Guihulngan City government also provided burial assistance to the families of the six police officers; while the city council is set to approve financial assistance for those involved in the ambush, including the three cops wounded from the occurrence.
Reyes said he also advised City Councilor Edison Dela Rita to be more careful as the incident was the third attempt on his life.
He explained the councilor previously survived an armed man storming his home after the suspect’s gun jammed. Dela Rita later experienced another ambush last year, while approaching his farm in the city’s Barangay Balogo.
Meanwhile, Police Senior Superintendent Henry Biñas, director of the Negros Oriental Police Provincial Office (NOrPPO), said the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) in Negros Oriental is now leading the investigation into the deadly ambush.
The CIDG is also looking into the possibility that Dela Rita’s brother may have played a role in the ambush, as it was determined his brother previously joined the NPA.
Earlier on Friday, Arpon and fellow cops Senior Police Officer 2 (SPO2) Mecasio Tabilon, SPO2 Chavic Agosto, SPO1 Jeseal Ancheta, Police Officer 2 (PO2) Alfredo Dunque, and PO2 Alvin Paul Bulandres were killed after their convoy was attacked by 60 armed NPA members at Sitio Mandi-e, Barangay Magsaysay in the said city./WDJ