Saturday, November 15, 2008 Soldiers capture 2 rebel combatants By Ben O. Tesiorna
TWO rebels were captured in Monkayo, Compostela Valley Thursday morning as government troops continue their operation to save the junior officer taken hostage by the New People's Army (NPA) last week.
Major Randolph Cabangbang, spokesman of the Eastern Mindanao Command, said soldiers from the 3rd Special Forces Battalion, mother unit of rebel-abducted First Lieutenant Vicente Cammayo, conducted a raid at a rebel encampment in Sitio Anagase, Barangay Casoon around 4:30 a.m. Thursday when they captured two rebels from the Guerilla Front 3.
The rebels have with them medical supplies, subversive documents and personal belongings.
Cabangbang has still not identified the suspected rebels as they are still with the soldiers as of this writing Friday.
Major General Jogy Leo Fojas, chief of the Army's 10th Infantry Division, said that Cammayo is wounded and weak when taken hostage by the rebels.
Fojas said witnesses in the vicinity of the encounter in Monkayo saw the rebels blindfolding Cammayo. He was bound with handcuff and chains in his feet, Fojas added.
"This is contrary to the alleged statement by the NPA that First Lieutenant Cammayo was not in their custody. Abduction is not a new criminal activity of the NPA. They have been doing this for so long and their alleged denial is a clear indication that they have malicious intent against First Lieutenant Cammayo to either harm or liquidate him," Fojas said.
He said the NPA's denial has deprived the soldier of a needed medical attention "which is a clear violation of a basic right of every citizen as stipulated under our Constitution."
