Two suspects arrested in Shariff Aguak ambush killing 5 cops

MANILA, Philippines — Two men allegedly involved in an ambush that killed five police officers and injured three more in Shariff Aguak earlier this year were arrested, the Philippine National Police (PNP) said on Thursday. In a press briefing in Camp Crame, PNP public information chief Col. Allen Rae Co said the two suspects were arrested separately in operations in General Santos City, South Cotabato and in Mamasapano, Maguindanao del Sur, but he did not provide more details. Co noted that the two suspects were taken into their respective local police’s custody, awaiting charges for five counts of murder and three counts of frustrated murder. READ: BARMM execs condemn ambush that killed 5 cops The ambush took place in a remote area in Barangay Poblacion, Shariff Aguak last March, targeting the 2nd Provincial Mobile Force Company of the Maguindanao del Sur Provincial Police Office while on their way back from a patrol operation. Co added that police were still looking for around 30 more suspects in the ambush still at large. “These two [are] part of the group that we believe was also the group involved in the recent grenade-throwing incident targeting the Armed Forces of the Philippines,” Co explained. “They are not the exact individuals who did that, but it’s the same group,” he added. The PNP public information chief was referring to an incident last July 18 in which a grenade landed inside the command post of the Charlie Company, 7th Infantry Battalion in Barangay Macaguiling, Sultan Kudarat. No one was hurt in the explosion, according to the military. With reports from Rendell Ivan Manuel, INQUIRER.net trainee /jpv