Two captives free at last in Mindanao

DAVAO CITY, Philippines (Mindanao Examiner / July 21, 2010) - A Philippine soldier held by communist rebels and a son of a top election official kidnapped by gunmen were freed separately by their captors in Mindanao, police and military said on Wednesday.

It said New People’s Army rebels on Tuesday released Sergeant Bienvenido Arguelles, who was captured on June 19 in Monkayo town in Compostela Valley province. The rebels earlier freed a government militia Juve Latiban, who was seized together with Arguelles at a checkpoint in the village of Upper Ulip.

The rebels said they freed the prisoner due to humanitarian considerations.

“The decision to release prisoner of war Arguelles is based on humanitarian considerations. It is in compliance with the revolutionary movement’s long-standing policy of lenient treatment of POWs and its serious adherence to the National Democratic Front of the Philippines’ Declaration of Undertaking to Apply the Geneva Conventions of 1949 and Protocol 2 of 1977. By releasing him and other POWs on this ground, the revolutionary movement is giving chance for human rights and the international humanitarian law to be respected at all times,” said Rigoberto Sanchez, a rebel spokesman.

He said the arrest of Arguelles should serve as a warning to all members of the military and the police who commit incursions into guerilla bases especially those who conduct intelligence operations against the NPA and its supporters.

“It should also serve as warning to those who serve as protectors of large-scale, environmentally destructive and exploitative foreign and local firms under the pretext of Investment Defense Force and peace and development projects, especially that the Diwalwal mining area in Monkayo town is up for total sell-out,” Sanchez said, referring to the large-scale mining activities in Mount Diwalwal in Monkayo town.

Police said kidnappers also released unharmed Nuraldin Yusoph, 22, on Monday in Misamis Oriental province after a month in captivity.

Yusoph, son of Commissioner Elias Yusoph, was seized on June 20 outside a mosque in Marawi City. His abductors originally demanded that the Commission on Elections annul the results of the recent polls in at least four towns - Malabang, Taraka, Pikong and Masiu - in Lanao del Sur in exchange for the safe release of the hostage, but later asked P25 million for his freedom.
Police said no ransom was paid for Yusoph’s release.

Last week, security forces killed the leader of Yusoph’s kidnappers, Dimaporo Dimasacal alias Commander Delta. Officials said soldiers were pursuing the gang when they caught up with them in the village of Aleem Rayah Karamian in Lanao del Sur’s Masiu town and killed its leader.

Dimasacal was also tagged as behind the ambush last week of a group of soldiers in Gata village in Poona Bayabao town, also in Lanao del Sur, killing an infantryman and a civilian. (With a report from Becky de Asis and Geo Solmerano)

NPA rebels free arrested militia, but held on to captured army soldier in Mindanao

DAVAO CITY, Philippines (Mindanao Examiner / July 16, 2010) – Philippine Maoist rebels freed Friday a government militia they captured last month in Compostela Valley province in Mindanao.

The militia, Juve Latiban, was arrested at a rebel checkpoint on June 19 along with an army soldier, Sergeant Bienvenido Arguelles, in the village of Upper Ulip in Monkayo town. The fate of the soldier is still unknown.

The rebels, who belong to the New People’s Army, said Latiban was only 17 years old when recruited by the military to fight insurgents.

“Juve Latiban, the minor recruited as combatant by the 10th Infantry Division of the Philippine Army, was turned over by the Conrado Heredia Command of the New People’s Army to his family. In line with the international rules of war, specifically because of his age of minority, the New People’s Army did not consider him a prisoner of war,” said Rigoberto Sanchez, a rebel spokesman.

Sanchez accused the 10th Infantry Division of recruiting and arming minors as “combat pawns” in its war against the New People’s Army. He said Latiban was one of 18 minors recruited by the military in 2008 as members of the Civilian Auxiliary Force Geographical Unit.

“By facilitating his return to his family, the New People’s Army corrects the serious and long running misconduct and violation of international humanitarian law committed by the 10th Infantry Division pertaining to the recruitment of minors for AFP (Armed Forces of the Philippines) combat duties. While the AFP, by deliberate and deceitful design, made a combatant out of Juve Latiban and 18 other minors from a single batch of CAFGU in 2008 alone, the NPA made concrete steps to allow him to revert to civilian status,” Sanchez said.

He said Latiban, identified by the military as Job, was recruited in October 2008 by Private First Class Alvin Latiban in Monkayo town in Compostela Valley.

“Together with his batch mates that included 18 other minors, they underwent 45-day training at the 1001st Infantry Brigade headquarters in Tuburan (village) in Mawab town in Compostela Valley,” Sanchez said, quoting from information provided by the arrested militia.

Sanchez said the militia also told the NPA that they were provided fake birth certificates which stated they were already 18 years old when recruited by the military as militias.

Army Captain Emmanuel Garcia, a spokesman for the 10th Infantry Division, denied the accusations of the New People’s Army which is fighting for decades now for the establishment of a Maoist state in the country. (Mindanao Examiner)

NPA rebels seize soldier, militia in Mindanao

Communist rebels release photos of four prisoners - Army Corporals Marcial Bawagan, Ariel Asumo, Eduardo Alcala and Victor Pitogo - shortly before they are freed in Mindanao. The four were taken prisoners in the town of Mawab on May 12, 2010.

DAVAO CITY, Philippines (Mindanao Examiner / June 20, 2010) – Communist rebels held a government soldier and a militiaman after stopping public vehicles at a checkpoint in the southern Philippines, officials said.

Officials said the two hostages - Staff Sergeant Bienvenido Arguilles, of the 25th Infantry Battalion, and Job Latiban - were seized Saturday in the village of Uper Ulip in Compostela Valley’s Monkayo town.

“The two were just passing by the village when dissident-terrorists collared them,” said Army Captain Emmanuel Garcia, a spokesman for the 10th Infantry Division.

He said some 30 New People’s Army set up the checkpoint and inspected passing vehicles for soldiers. Civilian passengers were also forced to attend a lecture by rebels about their cause and later freed.

Garcia did not give other details about the abduction, but said troops were sent to track down the rebels and rescue the duo.

The latest strike by rebels came days after they freed three soldiers and a government militia after almost a month in captivity in Compostela Valley.

The four - Army Corporals Marcial Bawagan, Ariel Asumo, Eduardo Alcala and Victor Pitogo - were taken prisoners in the town of Mawab on May 12.

Anvil Guinto, a spokesman for the rebel’s Crucifino Uballas command, said the release of the prisoners came after their families appealed to the NPA to free the four men who are being accused of violating human rights of civilians in the province.

“The release is in recognition of the appeals made by the families, religious groups and personalities, well-meaning individuals and progressive groups on their behalf,” he said. ”The NPA accords the released POWs the chance to conduct themselves in a manner respectful of the people's rights and the international laws of war. Their arrest and subsequent detention should also serve as a warning to officers and elements of the Armed Forces of the Philippines, Philippine National Police and their intelligence and paramilitary units.”

On Friday, rebels also attacked a group of policemen and wounding three of them in Davao Oriental’s Cateel town. Security officials said as many as five rebels were either killed or wounded in the fighting after a failed raid on a police station in the town.

The NPA is the military wing of the outlawed Communist Party of the Philippines which have been fighting for decades for the establishment of a Maoist state in the country. (Mindanao Examiner)