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Friday, October 12, 2007
Militiamen 'erred' in giving up to rebels
By Ben O. Tesiorna
DAVAO CITY -- The Armed Forces of the Philippines admitted there were lapses committed by their personnel during the successful raid by the New People's Army (NPA) on a detachment in Kanidkid, Montevista on October 7.
In Thursday's AFP-PNP Press Corps forum, Eastern Mindanao Command (Eastmincom) Chief Cardoso Luna said the nine militiamen detailed in the detachment at that time committed grave error when confronted by the rebel raiders.
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Luna said they have a policy in the military never to negotiate with hostage-takers. He said soldiers who are taken hostage by their enemies are automatically considered as "casualty of war."
"The Cafgus (paramilitary troopers) should never have surrendered just because their comrades were taken hostage by the rebels. They should have resisted the enemies and put up a good fight," Luna said.
Asked if they would rather see a soldier die rather than a military detachment overrun by the rebels, Luna said they are of course giving importance to their soldiers over their detachment.
He asserted though that as soldiers they should have not given up their arms.
Luna said they are now reminding their troops of this long-time military policy so that Sunday's incident would not happen again.
Probe
Major General Ernesto Boac, chief of the Army's 10th Infantry Division, said they are now conducting an inquiry on the incident and that the nine militiamen who gave up their arms are now under preventive custody and are recalled back to the Army's 72nd IB barracks in Maco.
Compostela Valley Governor Arturo Uy earlier rued the seeming laxity on the part of the military in his province.
He urged the military to reevaluate its operation and strengthen its intelligence network.
Boac, meanwhile, welcomed the suggestion of the governor and assured Uy that they are instituting measures to prevent the same incident from happening. Among the measures taken, Boac said, is the quarterly assessment of their internal security operations and the regulation of their military uniforms and patches so that only the government forces could wear them and not be used by the rebels to deceive the soldiers.
Kanidkid barangay captain Glorieto Mahumas, Army Sergeant Raul Reyes, and militiaman Rudy Villaflor were taken hostage by rebels under Ka Jazzy of the Front Committee 3 last Sunday.
The incident happened around 9 a.m. in Barangay Kanidkid, Montevista. The rebels reportedly introduced themselves as soldiers from the Army's 60th Infantry Battalion when they visited the residence of Mahumas.
The rebels then took hostage Mahumas and ordered the village chief to call for Villaflor and Reyes. They then took the two soldiers hostage.
The group then went to the military detachment and took over the camp without a single shot fired after the rebels threatened to kill their hostages if the other soldiers would put up resistance.
The rebels carted away about 15 firearms and fled towards Barangay Banglasan on board an elf and a multicab vehicle along with the three hostages.
Latest reports reaching Sun.Star Davao showed the three hostages were already separated from each other.
The rebels are also holding captive Intelligence Service of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (Isafp) agent Toto Gaila for about two months now. (Sun.Star Davao/Sunnex)
For more Philippine news, visit Sun.Star Cagayan de Oro. (October 12, 2007 issue)
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