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Tuesday, October 30, 2007
Rebels release Army sergeant
By Ben O. Tesiorna
DAVAO CITY -- The New People's Army (NPA) released Monday Army Sergeant Raul Reyes after three weeks in captivity.
Reyes was freed at around noon by the custodial unit of the NPA Southern Mindanao's Alejandro Lanaja Command in Barangay Casoon, Monkayo in Compostela Valley.
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He was turned over to Boy Visitacion, a designated representative of Compostela Valley Governor Arturo Uy and Representative Manuel Zamora.
In a press statement, the rebel group said the decision to release Reyes was based on humanitarian grounds, particularly the request of his family.
But Uy said the sergeant is healthy and appeared to have been treated well by his captors.
Reyes was brought Monday afternoon to the residence of Uy at Nova Tierra, Lanang this city.
Reyes, along with barangay chief Glorieto Mahumas of Kanidkid, Montevista and Cafgu Rudy Villaflor were abducted by the rebels during a raid on an Army detachment in Barangay Kanidkid, Montevista at around 9 a.m. of October 7.
On October 14, the rebels freed Mahumas and Villaflor. The two said they were released by their captors in Barangay Banglasan due to the Army's intense military operation.
In a statement, the NPA said it found no grave crimes that could be individually attributable to Reyes, whom it described as a prisoner of war.
The rebel group claimed the refusal of the military's Eastern Mindanao Command (Eastmincom) to implement a suspension of military operations (Somo) is a clear manifestation of its negligent treatment towards its own rank-and-file personnel, paramilitary elements, and non-commissioned officers captured as prisoners of war (POW) and to the demands of their families.
"Had the Somo been implemented, the POW would have been released earlier," added the statement sent by a certain Ka Aris Francisco.
The NPA said the full military operations by several battalions under the Army's 1001st Brigade, with the objective of rescuing the POW, were rendered futile. In fact, it was effectively neutralized and frustrated by the series of attritive tactical offensives by the ALC-NPA.
"The disarming of the Army-Cafgu detachment in Barangay Kanidkid in Montevista in Compostela Province, the capture, detention and release of Reyes even under intense and massive military combat operations show that the tactical initiative is not with the enemy camp but held by the revolutionary people's army," the statement said.
Mahumas and Villaflor, released earlier by their captors, stayed at the house of a certain Lanvindia located just about a kilometer away from Kanidkid shortly after their release.
A military intelligence agent Sergeant Toto Gaila also remains in the custody of the rebels more than two months since he was captured. (Sun.Star Davao/Sunnex)
For more Philippine news, visit Sun.Star Cebu. (October 30, 2007 issue)
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