Davao City Vice Mayor Duterte sees 4 NPA captives’ release soon

DAVAO CITY — Four jail personnel being held captive by the New People’s Army (NPA) may be reunited with their families soon, Vice Mayor Rodrigo Duterte said.

“Barring untoward incidents that might preclude their release, you will see your husbands soon,” Duterte said during a meeting with the families of Ozamis City Jail warden Inspector Erico Llamazares, 26; Cagayan de Oro Jail warden Inspector Murphy Tudyog, 27; Senior Police Officer 2 Rogelio Begontes and Jail Officer 1 Rolando Bajuyo at the Marco Polo Hotel here.

The four jail personnel were seized at an NPA roadblock in Bukidnon on July 21. The rebels also freed a colleague, who was being escorted to the Davao Penal Farm in Davao del Norte.

Duterte said except for Lingig mayor Henry Dano, who is still “undergoing some processes,” and his two bodyguards, the four jail personnel needed to be freed “because the NPAs already got what they wanted.”

“They have already rescued their former comrade from prison,” the vice mayor said, referring to Dennis Rodenas.

“They already got what they wanted, so, there’s no longer any reason why they should not let go of the jail personnel,” Duterte said.

But Duterte said he could not join calls for a halt to the military offensives in the hinterlands of Bukidnon, North Cotabato and Davao Oriental.

“This is already the 8th and 9th time that I arranged for the release of NPA captives, di talaga papayag ang military [the military will never allow] to stop the pursuit operations,” he said.

“Let’s just hope there are no ‘imponderables’ that might happen, because there are firefights and they are continued to be pursued by military forces, we hope there will be no encounters,” Duterte said.

Meanwhile, the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology (BJMP) said it has started an investigation against the four jail personnel.

Senior Inspector Robert Gotico, BJMP 11 chief community relations services, said it appeared that the NPA have succeeded in taking the four personnel in and rescue Rodenas because “of failure to coordinate with other law enforcers in the transfer of high risk prisoners.”

Gotico said if it turned out that the four jail personnel committed violations of BJMP policies, they could be suspended from service.

Germelina Lacorte and Judy Quiros, Inquirer Mindanao