A COMMUNITY coordinator of Kabataan party-list was arrested by the military in Baganga, Davao Oriental last week after allegedly helping a wounded New People's Army (NPA) rebel.
Captain Emmanuel Garcia, spokesman of the Army's 10th Infantry Division, identified the arrested civilian as Alma Flor Tolentino.
Members of Kabataan party-list based in Davao City confirmed Tolentino as their community coordinator in Baganga.
Garcia said Tolentino, who is in her early 20's, was arrested by the Army’s 67th Infantry Battalion on March 26 after attempting to escape with a wounded rebel.
The military said an unidentified NPA member, who was wounded in an encounter in Baganga on March 23, was with Tolentino when they also hijacked a Nissan Patrol vehicle.
Garcia said they learned that Tolentino was tasked to bring the wounded rebel to the downtown area for medical treatment.
The vehicle passed a military checkpoint but it did not stop, prompting authorities to give a chase. When cornered, the wounded rebel and Tolentino reportedly tried to escape.
The troops, however, managed to get Tolentino back while the rebel got away.
The vehicle driver claimed that he was ordered at gunpoint not to stop at the military checkpoint.
Garcia said they will be filing charges against the Kabataan member anytime soon.
In a telephone interview Tuesday, Lieutenant Colonel Henry Dayaoen, chief of the Army's IB, said they have already released Tolentino to her relatives on Monday.
He said her release was to show their good intention in urging the rebels to return to the folds of the law.
Dayaoen said Tolentino admitted being a member of the NPA as a medical officer.
Tolentino's arrest came few days before an encounter in Banganga on Sunday morning on the eve of NPA's 41st anniversary. (BOT)