THE soldier, who was abducted by New People's Army (NPA) members in Monkayo, Compostela Valley on Monday, is culpable although he is still being held hostage by the rebels until now.

Major General Reynaldo Mapagu, chief of the Army's 10th Infantry Division, said Corporal Dominador Alegre showed cowardice during the incident.

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"He was out of the camp when we are supposed to be on a heightened alert status. That is why he was abducted because he was out of camp. Policy namin, when you are held hostage you cease to be part of the chain of command. So Corporal Alegre has no more authority to give orders to his men. But he ordered the Cafgu men to open the gate of the patrol base because kasama daw niya mga Special Forces to inspect the patrol base. Makasuhan pa siya ng cowardice dito. But all these will be confirmed by board of inquiry that I have formed to investigate the incident," Mapagu said.

Military operations to rescue Alegre are ongoing as of this posting Wednesday.

Mapagu refused to give any information as to the whereabouts of Alegre as this could jeopardize their ongoing operation.

About 20 rebels wearing uniform of the Army's Special Forces abducted Alegre.

The rebels proceeded to ransack the armory of a military detachment nearby using the abducted soldier as human shield.

The rebels carted away two M-16 rifles, one M-14, five Carbine, 10 Garand rifles and one Icom radio. Corporal Alegre is still missing up to this time.

In an emailed statement, the 4th Pulang Bagani Company of the NPA in Southern Mindanao said the Monkayo incident is "another telling blow to the Oplan Bantay Laya II campaign of the 10th Infantry Division."

"Red fighters completely neutralized and swiftly disarmed the enemy forces assigned in the AFP (Armed Forces of the Philippines) detachment. Eighteen high-powered rifles were seized without a single shot being fired since the surprised enemy personnel had lost the initiative and the will to fight," rebel spokesman Ka Nadem said.

In a statement issued on Wednesday, the NPA announced that Alegre is being held as a prisoner of war by the NPA and is currently undergoing investigation while in custody.

"The taking of prisoners of war is a legitimate act of the NPA being a revolutionary armed forces engaged in a civil war against the Government of the Republic of the Philippines and its reactionary armed forces. In this regard, we assure his family that he is well and is being taken cared of under the prevailing guerrilla conditions of the people's army and the people's war," the NPA said. (BOT)