LUCENA CITY, Philippines—The communist New People’s Army issued a statement Wednesday saying the three policemen they captured in Rizal province last Saturday were “being treated well.”

The statement sent to the Philippine Daily Inquirer, and credited to a certain “Arman Guerrero,” a spokesman of the rebel group in Rizal province, said Insp. Rex Cuntapay, PO1 Albert Umali (dela Cruz) and PO1 Arvin Agasen were all safe.

The three were captured by the NPA over the weekend after it ambushed a police patrol car sent to investigate reports that rebels had burned a dump truck in Rodriguez town. Aside from the three captives, one policeman died and two others were injured in the encounter.

Geneva convention

The rebel statement said the three were in the hands of the “Narciso Antazo Aramil Command” operating in Rizal and were being treated “according to the Comprehensive Agreement on Respect for Human Rights and International Humanitarian Law and the Protocol II of the Geneva Convention.”

However, Guerrero said the captive policemen would be “investigated for possible crimes against the people and the revolutionary movement.” It added that “if warranted” they would be tried under the guerilla’s “revolutionary justice.”

The NPA statement then said the Rizal rebel group was willing to “negotiate” for the release of the captives but demanded that the Armed Forces of the Philippines and the Philippine National Police first call off their rescue operations.

With the end of the holiday truce, Guerrero said the communist leadership had ordered the rebels operating in Rizal province to start staging tactical offensives against government forces.

No negotiation

Joint police and military forces have launched operations against the rebels in an effort to rescue the lawmen. The rebels reportedly fled to the mountainous border of Rizal and Bulacan.

The government has a “no-negotiation” policy of dealing with rebel groups.

Police said they would file charges of murder, kidnapping, arson, illegal use of explosives and robbery in band against the rebels.

The two injured policemen—PO1 Ricardo Flores and Michael Tarun—were brought to the general hospital in Camp Crame. They were awarded the Medalya ng Sugatang Magiting (Medals of Valor).

Tarun sustained injuries in his right hip while shrapnels were found in Flores’ head. Both are scheduled to undergo surgery. Delfin T. Mallari Jr. and Maricar Cinco, Inquirer Southern Luzon