Rebels rescue comrade from prison convoy, take 4 hostage

CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY—Communist guerrillas on Thursday intercepted a convoy of jail guards, rescued a comrade and took captive four of the guards at a guerrilla road block in Kitaotao, Bukidnon, authorities said.

Police said the convoy of eight vehicles of the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology (BJMP) was transporting eight prisoners from Ozamiz City to Davao City past 3:00 a.m. when it was stopped by rebels at a road block in the town.

The convoy was carrying a Dennis Rodenas, whom authorities described as a leader of the communist New People’s Army.

Rodenas is a “high value” prisoner, according to Supt. Clint Russel Taghiris, assistant director of the BJMP in Northern Mindanao. Rodenas and the seven other prisoners were being transferred to the Davao Penal Colony in Davao del Norte from Ozamiz City.

Ten guards of the BJMP, led by Insp. Erico Llamazares, were escorting the prisoners but thought the armed men manning the road block were government soldiers, according to Taghiris in an interview aired by a radio station here.

The jail guards realized the armed men weren’t soldiers only when the convoy pulled over and the guards came face to face with what turned out to be communist guerrillas, said Taghiris.

At gunpoint, the guerrillas took Rodenas, Llamazares and three other BJMP guards—Cagayan de Oro BJMP officer Insp. Murphy Tujog, Jail Officer 2 Rogelio Beguntes and Jail Officer 1 Roland Bajuyo. The four guards are still captive as of yesterday afternoon.

According to Taghiris, the guerrillas also took four M-16 assault rifles, six 9 mm pistols, a .38 cal. revolver and six mobile phones from the BJMP guards.

The guerrillas allowed the rest of the guards to proceed to the Davao Penal Colony with the other prisoners, but without Rodenas, said Taghiris.

Supt. Dandilo Tumanda, Cagayan de Oro City police director for public safety, said it was surprising why the BJMP convoy took the Bukidnon-Davao route when the official route for prisoner transport was Butuan-Davao.

“Perhaps, they are trying to cut on time,” Tumanda said.

Taghiris said BJMP has sought help from the military’s 4th Infantry Division. Bobby Lagsa, Inquirer Mindanao