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Wednesday, December 18, 2002
10 hostages escape from NPA captors
By Lizanilla J. Amarga
CAGAYAN DE ORO -- Ten of the 18 tribesmen abducted by the New People's Army (NPA) from a barangay in Agusan del Sur last Friday were able to escape Tuesday.
Hoping he will be able to negotiate for the release of eight remaining hostages, Agusan del Sur Gov. Edward Plaza asked for a temporary suspension of all police and military operations against some 30 communist guerillas that raided Sitio Bagul, Barangay Binicalan in San Luis town.
A military report said the rebels killed four persons and held hostage 22 other members of the Banwaon tribe because they do not want to support the communist group anymore.
Police in Davao del Sur, meanwhile, said the New People's Army (NPA) plans to assassinate anti-communist civilian leaders.
The incident in Agusan del Sur, on the other hand, prompted the provincial peace and order council to meet Tuesday to discuss solutions to the problem.
Members of the council were in favor of Plaza's request for a suspension of government operation against the rebels.
Col. Juanito Cabayao, commander of the 402nd Brigade based in the Caraga region, said he has agreed to the Agusan del Sur governor's request.
Cabayao directed the 36th Infantry Battalion led by Col. Max Caro to halt pursuit operations against the rebels who attacked Binicalan.
"As much as we want to continue our hot pursuit operations, we have to consider the eight hostages who might get caught in the crossfire," he said Tuesday.
Besides, he added, the NPA group and its eight hostages are still in the town San Luis.
Negotiations for the release of the hostages, with the help of the local government units in the area, have a bigger chance of succeeding rather than an outright clash with the group where many can get killed or injured.
Cabayao told Sun.Star in a telephone interview he is glad the 10 tribesmen have been able to escape from the hands of their captors.
Since some of the hostages were wounded, they were rushed to the Patin-ay General Hospital in San Francisco, Agusan del Sur.
As their homes were torched, Cabayao said the other residents and four other tribesmen who first escaped from their captors were now in evacuation centers at the 55 Kilometer camp in Binicalan, San Luis.
"They have nowhere to go so they are at Kilometer 55 temporarily and local government officials are helping them by providing food, clothes and other necessities," he said.
Killed during the NPA attack on the barangay Edilberto Lapunan and brothers Balantinao, Lando and Alejandro.
Balantinao was the leader of the tribe that once supported the NPA movement. He had since surrendered to the government.
The rebels were irked when the tribe withdrew support from the NPA and they killed Balantinao.
"He fought back but was killed by the NPA along with his two brothers," he said.
Members of the Bucalas family who may still be in the hands of the rebel group were Alma, Espin, Lisayon, Magno, Pasyong, Yangahon, Digno, Teyming, Junilon, Dan-op, Maymay, Masion, Gladis, Tinasa, Yaning, and Alonso. Sun.Star Cagayan de Oro |
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