Rebels seize 2 cops, teacher in Compostela Valley

DAVAO CITY -- Suspected communist rebels abducted Monday two police officers and a teacher, and set off an improvised landmine in Anislagan village in Nabunturan, Compostela Valley.

Lieutenant Colonel Michael Logico, commander of the 66th Infantry Battalion, identified the victims as PO3 Ruben Nojapa and PO1 Randy Masambong, both assigned at Nabunturan Provincial Police Station, and Romel Sumbilon, a high school teacher and resident of Albanya subdivision in Nabunturan.

Colonel Angelito de Leon, commander of the 1001st Brigade, said the victims were abducted around 6 a.m. at a checkpoint set up by suspected members of the New People's Army (NPA) who disguised as government soldiers at Purok 1 in Anislagan.

But Logico added that Sumbilon was later released while Masambong managed to escape. The two victims are now undergoing stress debriefing.

Nojapa is still held captive by the abductors.

Logico said their troops and the personnel of the Nabunturan police immediately conducted a pursuit operation following the reported abduction, prompting the rebels belonging to NPA's Front Committee 27 to detonate an improvised landmine in Cabadianan village around 8 a.m.

He said no casualty was reported on the government troops. The rebels fled to the hinterland frontier of Nabunturan and Mawab towns.

De Leon said the move of the communist rebels was a coward act and violation of the Comprehensive Agreement on Respect for Human Rights and International Humanitarian Law.

"It is clearly written on the law that there must be a distinction between combatants and non-combatants wherein non-combatants must not be subjected to military actions at all times," de Leon said.

Logico said they are now conducting manhunt operation against the rebels. (Sun.Star Davao/Sunnex)