Army major reported missing in Zamboanga Sibugay

ZAMBOANGA CITY, Philippines – An Army major was reported missing after the vehicle he and his men were riding was flagged down by several armed men, believed to be New People’s Army rebels, on a highway in Barangay (village) Guinoman in Diplahan, Zamboanga Sibugay, early Saturday morning, the police reported.

Senior Superintendent Ruben Cariaga, Zamboanga Sibugay police chief, identified the Army officer as Major Ramon Torres.

He said Torres, of the 102nd Infantry Brigade, and five other soldiers were on a Mitsubishi pickup owned by TVI Mining from Ipil town and were going to Bayog in Zamboanga del Sur when about 40 armed men flagged them down around 7:25 a.m.

Torres, he said, reportedly escaped and was chased by the armed men.

Cariaga said that after questioning the passengers of the pickup truck, the armed men released the five remaining soldiers.

“Their firearms were also confiscated,” he said.

“Major Torres is still missing and we are on search operation now,” Colonel Pedro Dulos, deputy commander of the 102nd Infantry Brigade, told the Philippine Daily Inquirer by text message.

A military report said the armed men were members of the New People’s Army operating under Aurora Cayon alias Commander Bambam.