Gov’t forces clash with rebels after abduction of Surigao del Sur mayor

BUTUAN CITY, Philippines—New People’s Army rebels  seized the mayor of Lingig town in Surigao del Sur and his two security aides on Saturday, police said.

Chief Superintendent Reynaldo Rafal, Caraga police chief, said pursuing lawmen later clashed with the rebels in Boston, Davao Oriental, but there were no reports of casualties on either side.

Rafal said Mayor Henry Dano and his two security aides—all three remained in rebel hands— were not hurt in the clash but he did not say how the police could be sure of that.

“Mayor Dano was not wounded and is safe after our police clashed with the rebels under the Front Committee 20 during the rescue attempt,” he said.

At least 30 rebels, who posed as agents of the National Bureau of Investigation, arrived at Dano’s house in  Lingig in three vehicles around 6:30 a.m. and convinced a household helper to open the gate.

“When they finally got inside, the rebels disarmed the security aides and snatched the mayor inside his home,” he said.

Dano was the second Lingig mayor to have been abducted in two years.

In May last year, Dano’s predecessor, Roberto Luna, Jr. and his two military escorts were also abducted by NPA rebels for alleged crimes against the communist movement.

They were freed two weeks later after what a local rebel leader said was Luna’s “voluntary admission of culpability and issuance of a public apology” for his supposed crimes.

Rafal said as of early Saturday afternoon, there was still no communication with the kidnapped mayor and his security escorts.

“The Surigao del Sur provincial crisis committee headed by Governor Johnny Pimentel was already convened to find ways to open talks with the rebels and facilitate the release of the hostages,” Rafal said.

“The police and military rescue operations are ongoing and the crisis committee is finding ways to open talks with the rebels,” Rafal said.