Interior Secretary Mar Roxas. INQUIRER FILE PHOTO
DAVAO CITY— Four policemen captured during a rebel raid on a police station in Alegria, Surigao del Norte, more than two weeks would be released to Interior and Local Government Secretary Mar Roxas within today, Tuesday.
Jorge Madlos, spokesperson of the National Democratic Front, told the Inquirer in a telephone interview that under the release arrangements, the four policemen—PO3 Vic Calubag Concon, PO1 Rey O’niel Morales, PO1 Joen Zabala and PO1 Edito Roquino —would be received by Roxas in an undisclosed area in the Caraga region, which is made up of the two Surigao and two Agusan provinces.
“The release was supposed to be done before the Sona (State of the Nation Address of President Aquino), just to bring a message that this is a gesture for the resumption of peace talks between the NDF and the government, without precondition,” Madlos said.
He said the captives were supposed to be released on July 25 but there was a misunderstanding about the length of the ceasefire. The NDF originally wanted 10 days but the provincial crisis management committee of Surigao del Norte wanted 24 hours only.
Madlos said the matter of declaring a longer ceasefire was elevated to Roxas’ office. In the end, it was agreed that a five-day ceasefire beginning Sunday should be observed, he added.
“Aside from granting the ceasefire, he (Roxas) will come to the area of release and get the ‘prisoners-of-war’ himself”, Madlos said.