PNP Chief, Director General Arturo C Lomibao flew to Tuburan, Lanao del Sur on board an Air Force helicopter to personally assess the situation in the area following the ambush-slay Monday of the town's Chief of Police SPO3 Corais Tampogao.

Tampogao was killed with eight other civilians while PO2 Jamel Dimangadap and three civilians were wounded in an ambush at Brgy Mable, Malabang, Lanao del Sur at 2:30pm last October 31.

Lomibao held a dialogue with the local officials, PNP/AFP personnel, townsfolk and relatives of the late SPO3 Tampogao.

He ordered the Police Regional Office for the Autonomous Region of Muslim Mindanao under Senior Superintendent Akhmad Mamalinta, to launch manhunt operations for the immediate arrest of the suspects, even as he urged the people in the town to respect the rule of law and stop the culture of violence.

The PNP Chief awarded the Medalya ng Kadakilaan (posthumous) to SPO3 Tampogao while PO2 Dimangadap was awarded the Medalya ng Sugatang Magiting.

While in Mindanao, Lomibao inaugurated the newly-contructed Salay Police Station in Misamis Oriental, which is part of his priority program of Building Strong Police Stations espectially in isurgency affected areas and tourist destinations.

Since he took command, five new police stations have been constructed and inaugurated (Lambunao, Boracay, Manaoag, Camiguin and Salay), while 92 others are udergoing construction.

Lomibao was accompanied in the sortie to Mindanao by Chief Superitendent Leopoldo N Bataoil, the PNP Spokesman; and SSupt Teodorico Capuyan, the Executive Officer of the Directorate for Operations.