Parreño sought refuge in Barangay Lambog and local officials eventually turned him over to Obligado at the 67IB Tactical Command Post in Manay.

A soldier kidnapped by suspected New People’s Army (NPA) rebels in Manay, Davao Oriental in June escaped from his captors and was safely returned to his camp on Friday, 17 August 2018.

Col. Johannes Parreño from the 28th Infantry Battalion escaped in Barangay Lambog, Man-ay while troops were pursuing his captors who are the remnants of the NPA Secom 15 and PBC 8, said Lt. Col. Jacob Thadeus Obligado, the commander of the 67th Infantry Battalion.

The pursuit of the rebels was launched after they were seen and reported by local residents to the military.

Parreño sought refuge in Barangay Lambog and local officials eventually turned him over to Obligado at the 67IB Tactical Command Post in Manay.

Parreño, together with a companion, Dindo Sagayno, was returning to their headquarters in Mati City after attending a school supplies giving activity in Taragona, Davao Oriental last 10 June 2018 when NPA terrorists suddenly blocked the road they were passing at the Crossing Pising, Barangay Taguibo.

Meanwhile, the operating units of 701st Brigade encountered the kidnappers in Barangay Ompao Tarragona providing an opportunity for Sagayno to escape. He was eventually rescued by his company commander and fellow soldiers.

Obligado credited the successful escape and rescue of the abducted troops to the support of the communities.

“With the support of the local government officials and the people of Davao Oriental we have been tracking the abductors which became the basis of the sustained and relentlesly focused military operations by 701st Brigade Units (67IB and 28IB) to rescue our troops which eventually paid off,” Obligado said.