2 soldiers, 4 cops held by rebels

CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY— Communist rebels seized four policemen and two soldiers at checkpoints they set up in certain areas in Bukidnon, Misamis Oriental and Agusan del Norte provinces on Sunday morning.

“We are establishing a communication channel [with the abductors] to have the police officers released,” said Supt. Surki Sereñas, spokesperson for the police in Northern Mindanao.

In an e-mail, the New People’s Army (NPA), military wing of the Communist Party of the Philippines, identified its captives as SPO1 Warren Hansol Coñales, PO3 Edwin Castor, retired PO Orlando Magamay, SPO4 Rene Rombo, Pfc. Glenn Austria and Pfc. Diven Abion Tawide.

The rebels put up roadblocks in Barangays Capitan Bayong in Impasug-ong town, Santiago in Manolo Fortich town, and Ticalaan in Talakag town, all in Bukidnon; Barangay Mandahilag in Talisayan, Misamis Oriental; and Carmen, Buenavista and Las Nieves towns in Agusan del Norte province.

They left with their captives after 30 minutes.

The NPA’s North Central Mindanao Region said in a statement that Coñales, who is stationed at the Impasug-ong municipal police, and Castor, who is assigned to Wao, Lanao del Sur province, were captured in Capitan Bayong. Coñales’ 9mm Glock pistol was confiscated.

In Barangay Santiago, the NPA’s Eastern Misamis Oriental-Northeastern Bukidnon Subregional Command flagged down motorists passing through the provincial road and handed out reading materials on the Comprehensive Agreement on Respect for Human Rights and International Humanitarian Law.

Rombo, who is assigned to the Kinoguitan municipal police, was taken at the roadblock in Mandahilag. His 9mm and .45 cal. pistols were seized.

Magamay was abducted in the same area but was released due to health reasons through the help of a barangay official, according to Sereñas.

In Buenavista, the rebels took Austria and Tawide, both belonging to the Army’s 23rd Infantry Battalion.