THE New People’s Army released two soldiers in the hinterlands of Matanao, Davao del Sur on Wednesday noon, April 19.
Released were Sergeant Solaiman Calocop, 47, and Private First Class Samuel Garay, who were held captive for almost three months after they caught last February 2, 2017, in Columbio, Sultan Kudarat.
Garay and Calocop tearfully reunited with their wives Wednesday during the program of their release attended by Sowing the Seeds of Peace-Mindanao, the third party facilitator led by Bishop Redeemer Yañez, Macario Dilaab, spokesperson of Mt. Alib Subregional command, Davao del Sur Provincial Administrator, Marc Douglas Cagas, Vice Mayor of Columbio, Sultan Kudarat Erwin Bermudez, and South Cotabato Board Member Romulo Solivio.
"Salamat sa Provincial Government ng Davao del Sur sa hindi nila pagpapabaya. Sa NPA salamat binigyan niyo kami ng pagkakataong mabuhay at pinauwi niyo kami na walang kagalos galos, salamat sa pagkakataong mabuhay (Thank you to the Provincial Government of Davao del Sur for not abandoning us. To the NPA, thank you for giving us a chance to live and sent us home unscathed)," Calocop said.
“I am thankful for all those who helped us especially my family who helped a lot to get us out of this problem. Thank you for all the politicians and third party who helped us, and also to the members of the NPA who captured us. They really looked after us in almost three months. I am thankful because they gave us chance to go back to their families," Garay said in vernacular.
Garay’s wife, Jessa Mae Garay, who is five months pregnant, said she is very thankful that she is reunited with her husband.
"Ingon man sa among mamahimong anak puhon nagpasalamat ko nga wala nila gipagkait nga mgdako ang bata nga walay amahan (I am thankful that they did not allow my child to grow up without a father),” she said.
She also thanked all the parties who helped them.
Dilaab in an interview said that the release of the prisoners was done to push for the peace talks.
He added that the release was delayed as they waited for the suspension of military operations and suspension of police operations.
"It was delayed because the AFP (Armed Forces of the Philippines) and the PNP (Philippine National Police) did not issue the Somo and Sopo asked by the National Democratic Front and the third party facilitators to ensure the safe release of soldiers. It took them more than two months," he said in the vernacular.
He said the release was done despite non-suspension of operations, the release pushed through due to the efforts of the Sowing the Seeds of Peace, the third party facilitator led by Bishop Yañez.
Yañez, in a separate media interview, said that he is thankful for the New People’s Army and the Government of the Philippines for giving way for the release of soldiers.
"We believe and we trust that it is in their desire to achieve the peace and the safety of the hostages, that they have given us the place to conduct the release)," he said.
During the ceremony, the order of release was read by Dilaab stating that the soldiers committed offense against the NPA by committing Peace and Development Operations in their area, but thorough investigation they were proved innocent and are free to go.
The release papers were signed by Dilaab, Yañez, Cagas and Bermudez, as witnesses.
Prior to that Dr. Julieto Comio from Davoa Del Sur Provincial Hospital checked the health condition of the two soldiers, which shown positive results.
Cagas and the crisis committee chair of Columbio brought the two soldiers with them for courtesy call with the local government officials of Matanao.
Yañez said that the two will be bound home after that.
Dilaab said, meanwhile, that aside from the two soldiers the National Democratic Front plans for the release of three more prisoners of war soon.
The 10th Infantry Division in a separate statement said that the division is glad to note that the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP)-NPA has come to their senses and released the two soldiers of 39th Infantry Battalion who were abducted last February 2, while the peace talks was ongoing and the ceasefires are still in effect, by releasing them early today at Matanao, Davao del Sur.
The statement read that the two soldiers were immediately brought to Matanao Municipal Hall where they were initially presented to Matanao Mayor Vincent Fernandez and were subsequently brought to Camp Panacan Station Hospital for physical and medical evaluation and debriefing.
"We were very clear in our position that there is no hindrance for the release of the abducted soldiers and that there was no reason to further hold them any longer except for propaganda purposes of the communists.
The two soldiers were abducted while unarmed and in civilian clothes in the midst of the unilateral ceasefire," the statement read.
"We sympathize with the trauma experienced by the families of the two soldiers brought about by the treacherous act of the nuisance propaganda army (NPA) of the communists. Moreso, the said soldiers will be given time to recover from the physical and psychological trauma by reuniting them with their respective families and loved ones," it added.