Image from Wars in the World - Three police officers and a civilian police asset were abducted by the NPA in Surigao del Norte
- The NPA claimed the PNP personnel were scalawags
- The communist rebels said the abduction was actually an ‘arrest’ in line with President Duterte’s call for the communist organization to help in the fight against criminality
The New People’s Army claimed that the three police officers it abducted in Malimono, Surigao Del Norte last July 23 were subjects of numerous complaints of abuses and are accused of protecting illegal activities.
The abduction, according to a certain Ka Jared, who heads an NPA unit operating in Surigao del Norte, was actually an “arrest.”
“They were not just indiscriminately taken. They were arrested by the movement because of overwhelming complaints from the local populace,” the Inquirer quoted Ka Jared sa saying.
“The arrests that we have made were in line with President Duterte’s call for the organization to help in combating these pests in our communities, particularly those scalawags,” he added.
The captured police officers were identified as Senior Police Officer 3 Santiago Lamanilao, Police Officer 3 Jayroll Bayagas and Police Officer 2 Caleb Sinaca. A civilian police asset named Rodrigo Angob was also taken by the communist rebels.
Ka Jared said the captives, who were allegedly inside a cockpit arena when taken, would be treated and investigated with fairness despite them being “clearly scalawags.” He added that the police officers are being treated as “prisoners of war” and that their fate will depend on the result of the investigation.
Meanwhile, the Caraga Police Regional Office called on the NPA to release the police officers and the civilian to ensure the ceasefire with the communist rebels as declared by President Rodrigo Duterte holds.
Chief Superintendent Rolando Felix, director of Police Regional Office 13, belied the claim of the NPA that the cops were inside a cockpit arena when taken.
“These police officers were abducted while they were invited to attend a pre-fiesta celebration activity in the said barangay. They were caught outside a cockfighting area, but they were not there to participate in the game,” Felix said.
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