Rebels abduct woman, 2 soldiers

KIDAPAWAN CITY – (UPDATE) Suspected communist rebels abducted a woman and two soldiers in the municipality of President Roxas in North Cotabato, the military said Friday.

Lieutenant Manuel Gatus, spokesman of the Army’s 57th Infantry Battalion, said the incident took place in the village of Datu Puas Inda around 2 p.m. Thursday.

He said the soldiers – identified only as Corporal Sarucom and Private First Class Valenzuela – and former barangay (village) councilwoman Lorie Lastimoso were on their way to another village for a consultation with residents when their vehicle was flagged down by heavily armed New People’s Army rebels.

“They were on their way to Sitio (sub-village) Dalinding to conduct consultation on the basic needs of residents when they were forcibly taken,” he said.

Gatus said the captives were believed to have been brought to the border of President Roxas and Arakan towns.

“We lost contact with our men. But we are coordinating with the residents in the area for any lead on the whereabouts of the victims, including the suspects,” he said.

Gatus said the military launched a pursuit operation but has found no sign of the victims or the rebels yet.

He appealed to the rebels not to harm the captives even as he branded the incident as “a clear violation of the ceasefire agreement.”

“This is another desperate move of the rebel group. This is just a manifestation that the group is not serious in the peace process between them and the government,” Gatus said.

The hinterlands of North Cotabato continue to host NPA rebels, who occasionally stage attacks on government installations.

This year alone, the NPA staged nearly a dozen attacks in the province, including two land mine explosions in Magpet.

The Magpet incident took place while civilian officials were distributing Philhealth cards to indigents. No one was injured in the attack though.