The Philippine National Police ( PNP) “strongly condemned” the recent attack of suspected New People’s Army ( NPA) rebels in Negros Oriental on Thursday which resulted in the death of four police officers.

“The Philippine National Police strongly condemn the recent terror act by the communist terrorist group in Barangay Mabato, Ayungon, Negros Oriental on July 18, 2019 that resulted in the death of four police officers,” PNP said in a statement on Friday.

“This act is a blatant violation of the human rights under the constitution,” it added.

Police General Oscar Albayalde, the PNP chief, is expected to visit the province Friday.

A police report said around 2:30 pm Thursday, four intelligence personnel from the 704 Mobile Force Company of the Regional Mobile Force Battalion in Central Visayas were ambushed by armed men.

The officers were on two motorcycles on their way to the home of a contact to verify intelligence reports about the presence of NPA rebels in the area when they were attacked.

The four policemen succumbed to multiple injuries and their bodies were retrieved in the area in the evening after the clearing operations.

Their service firearms were allegedly carted away by suspects. The two motorcycles were not recovered from the ambush site.

In a radio interview, Police Senior Master Sergeant Marnel Liboon, head of operation section of Ayungon PNP, said they cannot determine if the police officers were tortured by the attackers.

“We can only determine that after the examination,” said Liboon. Ella Dionisio/DMS