Reds abduct soldier, CAFGU amid peace talks

‘…this act exemplifies the NPA as the true peace spoilers’

Amid talks of the resumption of formal peace talks between the government and the National Democratic Front of the Philippines (NDFP), communist New People’s Army (NPA) abducted on Sunday an Army soldier and a militiaman in Davao Oriental province, the military said yesterday.

Capt. Victor Inting Jr., spokesman of the Army’s 10th Infantry Division (ID), identified those abducted and now being held as hostages as Cpl. Johannes Parreno, a member of the Alpha Company of the 28th Infantry Battalion (IB), and Didno Malibay, a member of the Citizens Armed Forces Geographical Unit (CAFGU).

Inting said that Parreno and Malibay had just facilitated the distribution of school supplies to students of Tubaon Elementary School at around 5 p.m. Sunday when they were abducted along Purok Manga, Barangay Dawan in Mati City.

“The NPA rebels established a hasty roadblock posing as military men and held them hostage. The rebels left the area after 30 minutes bringing the soldier and CAFGU with them,” Inting said.

“The incident caused panic and fear among the residents who immediately informed the unit of the situation,” he added.

The 28th IB immediately launched focused military operations to rescue Parreno and Malibay.

The military tagged members of the NPAs PBC 6 operating in Davao Oreintal province as behind the kidnapping.

“The abduction of members of the AFP in non-combat status is a clear manifestation of their desperation and violates the provisions of the Comprehensive Agreement on the Respect for Human Rights and International Humanitarian Law and this act exemplifies the NPA as the true peace spoilers,” Lt. Col. Miguel Ramon, commander of 28th IB, said.

Ramon warned the rebel group not to do actions that would show them as peace spoilers and affect the peace negotiations.

The latest abduction happened while peace panels of the government of the Philippines and the NDFP, the politicial wing of the NPA, are preparing for the resumption of the formal peace talks by July.

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