Rebels grab another soldier

AFTER releasing a soldier in Monkayo town in Compostela Valley last month, the New People's Army (NPA) abducted another soldier on Saturday in Barangay Florida in Kapalong, Davao del Norte.

Northern Davao South Agusan Sub-regional Command of the NPA spokesperson Aris Francisco identified the captured soldier as Corporal Rogelio Rosales, with serial number 841376, member of the Bravo Company under the 60th Infantry Battalion.

Philippine Army's 10th Infantry Division commander Major General Ariel B. Bernardo, in a text message, confirmed the report. He said Rosales was abducted by the members of the NPA's Front 34 in Barangay Florida around 10:40 a.m.

rFrancisco, in his statement emailed to the media, said to step up its log ban campaign, the red fighters arrested another member of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) allegedly responsible for coddling and protecting massive logging in Agusan del Sur, Compostela Valley, and Davao del Norte.

"Prisoner of War Rosales was on the process of arranging for the transit of logs when apprehended by the NPA guerrillas. A sachet of (suspected) shabu was also found in his possession, proof that soldiers who are coddling big loggers in the province were also into the illegal drug trade," Francisco said.

He added that just like Sergeant Jeric Bucio Curay of the 72nd Infantry Battalion, who was abducted on April 4 and released on April 23, Rosales is part of the gang of soldiers under the 60th Infantry Battalion, 72nd Infantry Battalion, and Big 4 troika that is liable for the environmentally-destructive and anti-people logging business in Southern Mindanao and Caraga Regions.

"To continue the operations of their logging syndicate and in an attempt to evade NPA sanction, the Big 4 has changed the name of their group to Tanggo, composed of Laak Mayor Reynaldo Navarro and other government officers, operating in Agusan del Sur, Compostela Valley, and Davao del Norte," Francisco said.

Francisco said in the face of brazen abuse of power and wanton disregard of the environmental preservation, the NPA perseveres in imposing its total log ban campaign and carrying out punitive sanctions against the government forces and the big logging lords.

Bernardo, however, denied the accusations of the NPA rebels. He said Rosales cannot be involved on illegal-logging since the AFP/10th Infantry Division is very active on the anti-illegal-logging task force, curbing those illegal activities in its area of responsibility.

"There's no truth on their accusations. Rosales is just a corporal, a small Indian to be part of the alleged Big 4," Bernardo said.

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