NPA releases 4 abducted soldiers in Abra

Communist New People's Army (NPA) rebels have released four Army soldiers whom it captured as "prisoners of war" in Abra province. In a statement on the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) website (www.philippinerevolution.net) Thursday, the NPA said the capture and release was part of its "punishment" against the "abusive" 41st Infantry Battalion of the Army. "These successful offensives serve as continuing punitive actions against the military in response to the Boliney and Abra people's long-ignored clamor for justice. The 41st IB, currently headed by Lt. Col. Raul V. Bautista, is notorious for its criminal acts and a long list of human rights abuses in Abra. It has been incessantly sowing terror among the people in all its areas of operation," it said. Released by the NPA's Agustin Begnalen Command at 2 p.m. Wednesday were 2Lt. Jeron Labrador Etrone, CO of "C" Coy, Sgt. Restino Angoluan Alabon, Sgt. Alexander Salvador Paulo, and Cpl. Benigno Eugenio Soriano Jr. Seized from them were two cal-.45 pistols. All their personal belongings were given back to them, including the two motorcycles on which they rode. "They were accorded the rights of prisoners of war. After establishing that they had no blood debts and records of human rights violations, they were released to the [village] officials and elders at about 2 p.m. the day they were captured at Barangay Baoyan, Boliney. The turnover was witnessed by the community people. The soldiers signed a waiver stating the fact that they were treated well and accorded the rights and privileges of POWs," the NPA said. On the other hand, the NPA urged the released soldiers to resign from the Armed Forces, or at least uphold the Comprehensive Agreement on the Respect for Human Rights and International Humanitarian Law (CARHRIHL). It said the soldiers "thanked the NPA profusely upon their release." The NPA said local villagers who witnessed the release noted the "difference between the people's army and the soldiers of the ruling regime." According to the NPA, it captured the four officers of the 77th IB at about 10:30 a.m. Tuesday at an NPA checkpoint set along the road between Sitio Villa Conchita, Barangay San Ramon, Manabo and Barangay Baoyan, Boliney. Last Wednesday, its troops ambushed 50 soldiers from 3rd platoon of the A Company of the 41st IB at 5:30 a.m. Wednesday, killing eight soldiers and wounding seven others. NPA fighters seized five M-16 rifles, an M-203 grenade launcher, two M-14 rifles, 1,600 rounds of ammunition, eight ammo pouches, and five backpacks during the 45-minute gun battle. When they learned a second unit was on the way, the NPAs staged another ambush at 9 a.m., two kilometers away from the first ambush site. Two soldiers were killed and a yet undetermined number were wounded. The NPA claimed its operations this week dealt heavy blows on the AFP in a series of four daring tactical offensives in Boliney town, south-central Abra. Last May 13, the NPA launched sniping operations on a Cafgu-Army detachment at Kilong-olao, Boliney, killing a militiaman. It said this meant a total of ten army soldiers and a militiaman were killed, seven troopers wounded, and four army officers captured. The NPA said the 41st IB has a "bloody record" of torturing and killing of civilians and activists and forcibly using civilians as human shields. Its troops murdered Talog Bangoey and wounded Pilnan Dumel-ac in Ud-udiao, Sallapadan on July 24, 2004. In an encounter with the NPA in Lenneng, Baay-Licuan on October 12, 2005, they forcibly dragged Francisco Tangbawan, Junie Brillantes and Noriel Tuangin and used them as human shields, resulting in the death of Tangbawan and the wounding of his two companions. "The 41st IB's death squad is responsible for the extrajudicial killing of activist Albert Terredaño, a government employee in Bangued on November 29, 2005. On April 2007, they tortured to death John Maximo in Baoyan, Boliney. His mutilated body was found in his hut in a farm by his nephew, who until now has not recovered from shock," it said. According to the NPA, the civilian population has also been continually subjected to other forms of harassment and intimidation such as illegal searches, illegal arrests and detention. Indiscriminate bombings, machinegun strafing and mortar shelling have disrupted peaceful communities and wrought havoc on the peasants' agricultural production, it added. "The Arroyo regime has been using the 41st IB to quell the people's opposition to mining companies and facilitate the entry of these destructive firms," it said. "Thus, the 41st IB deserves the wrath of the people and the armed revolutionary movement for terrorizing both the Tinggian and Iloco communities in the hinterlands and plains of Abra and for serving the rapacious interests of local and foreign mining corporations that threaten the people's livelihood and environment with destruction," it added. - GMANews.TV