The Bohol Provincial Police Office (BPPO) on Friday ordered for the Philippine flag to be flown at half-mast in police stations across the province in the wake of the fatal ambush which left four police officers dead in Ayungon, Negros Oriental.

The directive was issued by Police Regional Office (PRO) 7 director Brig. General Debold Sinas to honor the fallen cops who were believed to have been killed by members of the New People’s Army (NPA), said Lt. Col. Conrado Manatad, chief of the BPPO’s Community Relations Branch.

The BPPO also mourned the death of the police officers who have been identified as Police Corporal Relebert Beronio, Patrolman Raffy Callo, Patrolman Roel Cabellon and Patrolman Marquino de Leon, members of the Regional Mobile Force Battalion 7’s intelligence unit.

In a press conference at the Negros Oriental Provincial Police Office, Sinas said that the four victims were tortured before they were summarily executed based on the autopsy report.

“It was cold-blooded. Gipaluhod tapos gi-pusil sa likod. According sa autopsy report bawat usa nila usa ra ka bala lang ang nagpatay sa ulo. Ang trajectory, gikan sa taas padung sa ubos,” said Sinas.

Sinas said that the four policemen who were in disguise as foresters were set up for an attack and were “overpowered” by 30 to 40 armed suspects before they were taken to a house where they were tortured and interrogated. (rt)