BUTUAN CITY—The National Democratic Front (NDF) in Mindanao has suspended the release of three captive policemen after the military rejected its demand for a troop pullout and a ceasefire.
Jorge Madlos, alias Ka Oris, spokesperson for NDF Mindanao, said the release, which was supposed to take place yesterday, did not push through because the military adopted a hard-line stance.
“We are saddened to announce the indefinite suspension of the release of POWs (prisoners of war),” Madlos said.
“The NPA (New People’s Army) would never compromise the safety of the custodial force and of the three policemen,” he said.
Heavy military presence and ongoing operations to rescue the policemen forced the rebels to cancel the release of the captives, which was supposed to take place in Guigacuit town in Surigao del Norte province, Madlos said.
“The military failed in its responsibility,” he said. “It’s for the public to judge who’s at fault and [whom] to blame for this,” he added.
The NDF leadership had signed last month an order releasing PO1 Jonry Amper, PO3 Democrito Polvorosa and PO1 Marichel Contemplo, “without preconditions except for troop pullout and implementation of ceasefire,” Madlos said.
The three were separately captured by communist rebels on Nov. 2 and 16 in 2014 in Malimo and Alegria towns.
Brig. Gen. Jonathan Ponce, head of the Army’s 402nd Infantry Brigade, said the Army would not heed the rebel demands.
“The Army is just following orders from higher headquarters,” Ponce said. “We have to obey it. Anyway, the NPA can leave their kidnap victims behind,” he said.
The cancellation of the release was a frustration to members of a team of negotiators who worked for the policemen’s release.
“It’s frustrating because the release was within our reach but hard-liners in the Army prevailed,” said Bishop Rhee Timbang of the Iglesia Filipina Independiente, a member of the negotiating team.
Timbang said the negotiating team was trying to revive negotiations for the release of the policemen.
He said top Caraga police officials were apparently apathetic to the plight of the captives.
“I’m afraid the apathy of the PNP Caraga leadership caused demoralization in its ranks,” Timbang said.
Sought for comment, Caraga police spokesperson Senior Supt. Romaldo Bayting said the police were leaving the fate of its men to the provincial management committee headed by Surigao del Norte Gov. Sol Matugas. Franklin A. Caliguid, Inquirer Mindanao