NPA rebels free 2 hostages taken from Surigao Norte mining firm

BUTUAN CITY, Agusan del Sur, Philippines — New People’s Army (NPA) rebels freed two of the hostages they took from the Taganito Mining Corp. (TMC) in Claver, Surigao del Norte, late Monday, as military and police authorities continued to pursue them.

Superintendent Martin Gamba, spokesperson of the Caraga police, said one of those freed was Jose Anievas, the resident manager of TMC.

He did not identify the other freed hostage.

Gamba said two more people — including the TMC chief security, whom he did not name — remained in captivity, as of Monday evening.

Meanwhile, Gamba said none of the 20 Japanese nationals working in a joint project between TMC and the Sumito Corp. of Japan was harmed during Monday’s raid by some 300 rebels.  “We can assure you that,” he said.

The Japanese nationals live on the same compound that the rebels raided in Taganito village.