NPA releases soldier, cop

TAGUM CITY—New People’s Army (NPA) rebels on Thursday freed the soldier and the policeman they took into custody in Laak, Compostela Valley, over a month ago.

Capt. Nathaniel Morales, information officer of the Army’s 1003rd Infantry Brigade, said Pfc. Jezreel Culango and PO1 Ruel Pasion were turned over by the NPA to members of a religious group and representatives from human rights group Karapatan at around 1 p.m.

He said the two captives were later fetched by Davao City Vice Mayor Rodrigo Duterte from an undisclosed area in Laak, Morales said.

“They were picked up using a private chopper and brought to Davao City. [Culango] is now in [the military hospital in] Panacan (Davao City) for medical care and stress debriefing while the policeman was brought to Camp Catitipan (the police regional headquarters, also in Davao City) for the same procedure,” Morales told the Inquirer by phone.

The release of the two government men came after the NPA declared a four-day unilateral ceasefire and 35 days after the victims were seized at a rebel checkpoint at a village road in Laak. Frinston L. Lim, Inquirer Mindanao