NPA rebels abduct Davao Oriental town mayoral bet — police

MANILA, Philippines – A candidate running for mayor in Baganga, Davao Oriental was abducted Wednesday by suspected members of the New People’s Army for allegedly not paying the group “permit to campaign” fees, police said Thursday.

Senior Superintendent Jose Carumba, Davao Oriental provincial director, said independent candidate Ronie Osnan had just finished his campaign around 1 p.m. when a person approached him and invited him to come over to a house in Barangay (village) Kampawan, Baganga, saying somebody wanted to talk to him.

Carumba said Osnan went to the place with a companion identified as Pastor Manny Quizon, but the candidate was not able to get out of the house anymore.

“After few hours, pinakawalan itong si Quizon at s’ya nga ang nagsabi na na-hold daw itong si Osnan at hawak daw ng mga miyembro ng NPA,” Carumba said, adding that the motive could be his failure to pay PTC fees.

He said, however, that Osnan later contacted his campaign group and told them that he was fine.

“Meron daw s’yang kaibigan doon na classmate nya nung elementary,” Carumba quoted Osnan as saying.

To this development, Carumba said Osnan’s group sent a negotiator to facilitate his possible release.