'Gold Cross' awarded to 15 cops who battled NPA rebs

By Freddie G. Lazaro

TUGUEGARAO CITY— The Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) has awarded “Gold Cross” medals to 15 members of the Philippine National Police who battled New People’s Army rebels in Sitio Talinganay, Barangay Sto. Domingo, Piat, Cagayan province last May 12, the military reported.

After the firefight, five NPA rebels – including their leader Jose Asco, alias “Ka Baylon” of the NPA’s Danilo Ben Command were killed.

Three other rebels were wounded while 14 high-powered firearms, several subversive documents and P98, 000.00 cash were recovered from the rebels’ lair.

Col. Henry Cinco, deputy chief of the AFP’s Northern Luzon Command based in Camp Aquino, Tarlac City, led the awarding of the medals at the Cagayan Valley Police Regional Office in Tuguegarao City.

Cinco said this was the first time in the country that the Gold Cross, the third highest AFP award for gallantry, was awarded to members of the PNP.

The awardees were Superintendents Teodoro Basa, Alex Rafael, James Cipriano, and Madzgani Mukaram; Chief Inspector Wilfredo Pelayo; Senior Insp. Julius Balano; Insp. Rocky Balisi; Senior Police Officer 3 Marino Manuel; SPO2s Andres Iniego and John Calimag; PO3s Danilo Bernas Jr. and Virgilio Mationg and PO2s Manny Achanzar, Charles Urmanita, and Roberto Tuliao