CAPAS, Tarlac, Philippines--The wife of an Army lieutenant, who has been held captive by the New People’s Army in Compostela Valley since Nov. 17, appealed on Sunday to her husband’s captors to release him before Christmas.

Mariel Cammayo, a native of Tuguegarao City like her husband, relayed her message to the Philippine Daily Inquirer, through the Army spokesperson, Col. Romeo Brawner Jr.

“Her plea still remains to be that the NPA release her husband the soonest, possibly before Christmas,” Brawner said.

1st Lt. Vicente Cammayo, company commander of the Army’s 11th Special Forces Company of the 3rd Special Forces Battalion, was wounded during an encounter with about 100 rebels at Sitio Anagase in Barangay (Village) Casoon in Monkayo town, it was learned.

The firefight lasted six hours, killing three soldiers.

Mariel is six months pregnant. She lost their first child in a miscarriage.

Brawner confirmed that local officials in Compostela Valley are helping to secure the release of Cammayo, who entered the service as a reserve officer in January 2003.

“We did not have to tap them. They volunteered their help -- our local government units in the area and local government agencies. They offered their help to get back Lt. Cammayo,” Brawner said.

The military has firmly taken a no-negotiation policy with the NPA.

To rescue Cammayo, the military instead launched operations in the area, expanding the operations to include adjoining provinces.

“[There is] no word yet from the captors,” Brawner said.

“As of now, the rescue operations are continuing not just to try to rescue Cammayo but also perhaps capture those who captured him.”

He said there had been no specific demand from the NPA for the release of the officer.

“They said they are ready to release Lt. Cammayo if the Armed Forces or the Army is ready to negotiate. However, our stand is firm. We will not negotiate. It is not our mandate, it is not in our policy to negotiate,” he said.

He said there had been no threats to kill Cammayo. “But they are saying that if the Army pursues the military operations, it might endanger Lt. Cammayo but we are firm in our stand that we will not negotiate. But we are demanding that they release him,” he said.

The NPA initially denied holding Cammayo but a statement on Sunday by an NPA spokesperson, identified as Rigoberto Sanchez, admitted having him in their custody as a “prisoner of war.”

The NPA said Cammayo would be tried for alleged human rights violations.