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Tuesday, October 09, 2007
NPA takes village chief, 2 others hostage
By Ben O. Tesiorna
DAVAO CITY -- Communist rebels have been holding three men hostage since Sunday in Montevista, Compostela Valley, the military said.
Brigadier General Carlos Holganza, Army 1001st Brigade commander, identified the hostages as barangay captain Glorieto Mahumas, Army Sergeant Raul Reyes, and paramilitary trooper Rudy Villaflor.
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Holganza said the rebels went to the house of the barangay chief in Barangay Kanidkid in Montevista at around 9 a.m. of October 7 and introduced themselves as soldiers from the Army's 60th Infantry Battalion.
As Mahumas welcomed them, the men seized him and ordered him to call Civilian Armed Forces Geographical Unit (Cafgu) detachment commander and Reyes. Suspecting nothing amiss, the two arrived and were likewise captured.
The group then went to the military detachment and took over the camp without a single shot fired. The other soldiers did not resist after the rebels threatened to kill their hostages.
About 30 rebels under Ka Jazzy of Front Committee 3 of the Southern Mindanao Regional Committee ransacked the detachment and carted away firearms.
The rebels fled towards Barangay Banglasan on board an Elf and a multicab vehicle along with the three hostages.
Major General Ernesto Boac, Army 10th Infantry Division commander, immediately ordered the rebels pursued. He rued the deceit being employed by the rebels in using military uniforms to achieve their nefarious plans.
"Deceit has always been the strategy of the CPP-NPA. They are fully aware that civilians trust and have confidence on our soldiers; thus, they always use the military uniform and disguise themselves as military troops to gain their advantage and victimize civilians. This is a clear violation on the provision as stipulated under CARHIL," Boac said.
He further urged the local populace to be extra vigilant and to inform authorities immediately of any suspicious activity in their areas. (Sun.Star Davao/Sunnex)
For more Philippine news, visit Sun.Star Baguio. (October 9, 2007 issue)
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