NPA rebels capture soldier in ComVal

TAGUM CITY, Philippines—Communist rebels attacked a group of soldiers on a “peace and development” mission in Compostela Valley on Wednesday and captured one of the troopers, the authorities said.

The capture of the soldier happened after an undetermined number of New People’s Army guerrillas harassed the peace and development team of the 71st Infantry Battalion in the village of Elizalde around 7 a.m., Senior Superintendent Camilo Cascolan, Compostela Valley police chief, said.

No one was wounded, Cascolan said, but villagers were terrified as the fighting occurred in the village proper.

Resident Ric Ado said they saw three men, who appeared to be soldiers, being taken by the guerrillas. He said two of the men were able to escape while one was taken by the rebels as they fled.

Lieutenant Vilma Mojado, information officer of the army’s 1001st Infantry Brigade, said Pfc. Jesus Tomas was captured and dragged away by the rebels.

Mojado claimed the soldiers were not armed as they were part of a peace and development team which the rebels fired on at the village market.

“The two unarmed soldiers were hidden by the populace as the NPA rebels were approaching while another was instantly grabbed and mercilessly dragged away,” Mojado said.

Lieutenant Colonel Jerry Borja, 71st IB commander, condemned the attack, calling it “an act of frustration by the NPA to stop the success of Maco in gaining peace and development.”

Borja also slammed the rebels for launching an attack in a populated area, putting civilians at risk.

He said soldiers were in pursuit of the insurgents.

Early on Tuesday evening, rebels on a motorcycle also struck Mabini town proper in the middle of a power outage, firing a rifle grenade that tore through the second floor of the town’s police station, damaging windows and part of the building.