Friday, February 03, 2006
Rebel leader proposes swap: rifles for hostages
DAVAO CITY -- New People's Army (NPA) leader Leonardo Pitao, alias Kumander Parago, demanded five M-14 rifles in exchange for the freedom of three lumads or tribesmen being held hostage by his group.
Task Force Davao chief Eduardo del Rosario said Berino Mambuo overheard Parago telling a barangay official in Paquibato district on January 25 that he wanted M-14 rifles in exchange for the hostages.
Mambuo was one of the four villagers abducted by Parago's group in Sitio Singko, Barangay Mapula nine days ago. He escaped by jumping off a ravine when Parago was about to tie them up.
The hostages still in Parago's hands are identified as Rudy Adang, a barangay councilman and a militiaman, and Tony Lige and Inggo Lintanod, both farmers.
Singled out
Mambuo recalled how Parago and seven of his fully armed men stopped the passenger jeep he was riding in at around 4 p.m. of January 25.
He said out of the almost 50 passengers inside, he was singled out by Parago since he is lumad.
Mambuo said the rebels also stopped two other lumads, Lige and Lintanod, who happened to pass by the area. The two are of the Ata Manobo tribe.
Few minutes after, the rebels also stopped a motorcycle driven by Salapawan barangay chief Doming Bucayla with Adang as passenger.
Adang, also a lumad, was ordered to alight from the vehicle while Bucayla, a Bisaya, was told to go home.
Mambuo said Parago told him that lumads in the area have become a pain in the neck of the NPA group due to their close alliance with government soldiers, especially with Task Force Davao.
Mambuo said he told Parago that they are simply protecting their rights and their ancestral lands when they decided to create the Alsa Lumad.
Certain death
Mambuo said that some two hours after they were first abducted, Parago started tying the hands of Adang.
Sensing they would surely be killed by Parago, Mambuo decided to stake his life and limb and jumped off a deep ravine.
"Naningkamot na lang gyud ko ug ambak kay sigurado mang patyon gyud ko nila," Mambuo said. (I jumped because I knew they would kill me.)
He sustained several cuts from the fall and walked for four hours before reaching his house.
Nothing is known of the condition of the three other hostages under Parago's hands. Mambuo said there were rumors going around that the three hostages were already executed by the rebels.
Relatives of the three appealed to the NPA to spare their lives, saying they have not done anything against the rebel group.
Nenita Rupyo, sister of Lintanod, and Senyor Lige, older brother of Tony, said the two are just plain farmers eking a livelihood from making coconut wine.
Del Rosario, however, believes that the hostages are still alive. This is because their bodies have not been recovered until now.
Ridiculous demand
On the demand of Parago for five M-14 rifles in exchange for the freedom of the hostages, del Rosario branded the demand as "ridiculous". He said the lumads do not have the resources to produce the rifles.
Del Rosario said the Philippine Army is now doing its best to rescue the hostages. The Army's 73rd Infantry Battalion under Lieutenant Colonel Rolly Bautista had been conducting military operation in the Paquibato area for the past three days now.
Del Rosario said their main mission is to rescue the hostages. He, however, added that if ever Parago's group would put up a fight, then his men would not hesitate to defend themselves.
Del Rosario warned Parago that if he goes on with his atrocities against the lumads in the mountains, time will come that he would suffer the same fate as those of the relatives of the lumads he killed.
"It is highly possible that the lumads will retaliate not against the NPA rebels but on the families of the rebels," del Rosario said, adding that Parago has families in Paquibato, Panabo, and Davao City.
Asked if the military is keeping a tight watch on the families of Parago, del Rosario said no and that they do not intend to do such a thing. (Sun.Star Davao/Sunnex)
(February 3, 2006 issue)
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