NPA rescues female reb, captures 2 jail execs

DAVAO CITY—At least three persons were wounded and two officers of the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology (BJMP) were captured by New People’s Army (NPA) rebels in their successful bid to rescue a female rebel leader and failed attempt to rescue another as the arrested rebel suspects were being brought to a court hearing in Lianga, Surigao del Sur, on Monday.

Capt. Joe Patrick Martinez, deputy chief of the Army 4th Infantry Division’s public affairs office, said officers of the BJMP from the provincial jail of Surigao del Sur were transporting two rebel suspects from Tandag City to a hearing at the Regional Trial Court in Lianga town when they were fired upon by NPA rebels in Barangay (village) Amontay, Marihatag town, at 7:45 a.m. Monday.

The detainees were identified as Robert Rivas and Jojean Alameda who were arrested at a checkpoint manned by Scout Rangers and local police forces in Diatagon, Lianga last Feb. 13.

Two BJMP officers and Rivas were wounded in the gunfight, Martinez said. They were taken to the Adela Serra Ty Hospital in Tandag City, he added.

The rebels succeeded in rescuing Alameda but they also took with them two BJMP officers identified as SO2 Juan Salazar and SO2 Feliciano Polan. They failed to rescue Rivas.

Martinez said the NPA also took with them two M-4 rifles, four 9mm pistols and a .45 cal. pistol. Karlos Manlupig, Inquirer Mindanao