Rebels free 6 vendors tagged as military ‘spies’

CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY—Communist guerrillas on Tuesday freed six mattress vendors kept captive for 56 days on suspicion they were spying for the military.

The six vendors, from Misamis Oriental, were seized by guerrillas on Aug. 17 in the boundaries of Paquibato District, Davao City, and San Fernando, Bukidnon.

The six—James Mabaylan, Ronald Boiles, Ernesto Callo Jr., Nelson Bagares, Segundino Dailo Jr. and Julieto Sarsaba—were presented to the media by Misamis Oriental Vice Gov. Norris Babiera who helped negotiate their release.

Babiera said he met the six at about 9 p.m. on Tuesday at the Iglesia Filipina Independiente (IFI) church in Barangay Bulua here. The six were escorted by IFI church officials and members of the peace advocacy group Sowing the Seeds of Peace.

Babiera said the rebels did not demand a prisoner swap or ransom. The rebels, Babiera said, also returned P54,075 of the vendors’ earnings and their valuables.

The six had been abducted after entering a rebel-controlled area. They were taken by a group believed to be led by guerrilla leader Leoncio Pitao, better known as Parago. The guerrillas had accused the vendors of doing surveillance work for the military.

Babiera said he and Misamis Oriental Gov. Oscar Moreno sent an appeal last Sept. 27 to Luis Jalandoni, chair of the National Democratic Front of the Philippines peace negotiating panel, for the release of the vendors.

Jalandoni responded to the appeal on Oct. 8 and said he was forwarding it to the “pertinent organ of the revolutionary movement.”

Looking tired but otherwise in good spirits, Segundino Dailo Jr., one of the six, said they were treated fairly by the rebels. “We ate what they ate, and they treated us like brothers,” Dailo said.

Col. Apolinario Alobba, deputy brigade commander of the 403rd Brigade based in Malaybalay City, Bukidnon, said soldiers would resume military operations against Parago’s group. The rebels, Alobba said, “committed an unlawful act so we will go after them.”

Alobba said a complaint should be filed against the rebels at the Commission on Human Rights for the abduction of the vendors.

In an interview last week, Mithie Callo, wife of one of the six, had denied her husband was spying for the military and said selling mattresses has been the primary source of income for the family. Mithie said her children had stopped going to school and they had been asking for food from relatives during her husband’s captivity. JB R. Deveza, Inquirer Mindanao