DAVAO CITY, Philippines – Two soldiers were freed by their New People’s Army (NPA) captors in Laak, Compostela Valley on Tuesday afternoon.
Privates First Class Niño Alavaro and Marjon Añover, who were taken at a rebel checkpoint in the town of Monkayo on Sept. 30, were released to Davao City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte.
The NPA earlier explained that Alavaro and Añover were taken for investigation for possible “crimes against humanity” and “counter-revolutionary activities.”
Duterte, during his TV show Gikan sa Masa, Para sa Masa on Sunday, said he had asked the NPA to release the soldiers if they did not have serious offenses.
“I asked them (NPA), if the soldiers do not have serious offenses against the people, they should be released immediately because it is almost Christmas,” Duterte said.
The military condemned the abduction, claiming that the soldiers from the 25th Infantry Battalion, were not in an active military operation when they were captured.
Another soldier is still held captive by the NPA in Gingoog City in Misamis Oriental.
Lorena Mangahas, a local NPA spokesperson, said that Pfc Adonis Lupiba was set to be released but the process was hampered by the rescue operations being done by the military.
Duterte earlier said that the NPA would turn over to him P25,000 that was recovered by the rebels who captured and killed Mayor Dario Otaza of Loreto town in Agusan del Sur, and his son, in Butuan City last month.
“When they searched the bodies, the NPA found P25,000 and they issued a statement that they want to return it because they do not want to be called bandits. Because taking it is a bandit’s act and they are not bandits. What they are doing is based on ideology,” Duterte said. SFM