NPA frees soldiers, returns Otaza money

TWO soldiers held captive by the New People’s Army (NPA) since last month were released on Tuesday morning in Laak, Compostela Valley.

Davao Mayor Rodrigo Duterte, who received the two soldiers––Pfcs. Niño Alavaro and Marjon Anover––handed them over to the military’s Eastern Mindanao Command in Camp Panacan.

Aside from the release of the soldiers, the NPA also turned over to Duterte the P25 thousand cash found in the possession of Loreto Mayor Dario Otaza and son Daryl, who were killed by the rebels in Butuan City last month.

Alavaro and Anover, members of the Reengineered Special Operations Team (RSOT) Alpha Company of the Army’s 25th Infantry Battalion, were captured by the rebels at in Barangay Casoon, Monkayo, Compostela Valley in Sept. 30.

A militiaman was also killed by rebels in that operation. The Army reported that the CAA was the first to be flagged down by rebels and killed. The soldiers were riding a motorcycle, and were subsequently abducted.

Lt. Col. Mitchel Anayron, 25th IB commander, said witnesses identified the leader of the NPA group as Zaldy Cañete.

Pfc. Anover locked his mother in a tight embrace while Pfc. Nino Alabaso heaved a sigh of relief after the NPA freed them.

Añover and Alabaso, both 23 years old,  recalled they were on their way to a patrol base in Casoon from the 25IB’s Camp Kalaw located in Poblacion Monkayo at the time of their capture.

Based on the order of release signed by a certain Ruby Delmondo, representative of NPA-Southern Mindanao Region, which was read by Toni Tabar, spokesperson for Comval-North Davao and South Agusan Subregional Command, the two soldiers were freed after the “judicial process” undertaken with respect to the policy stated in the 1949 Geneva Convention.

The two said they were unscathed, and that they were treated well by the NPA.

“When we had just been captured, we really feared for our lives. After weeks, our fear was gone. We learned a lot about them, that they follow a certain policy. They’re fighting not just for themselves but all those who are suffering,” Añover said.

Alabaso said they learned about the cause that the rebel group is fighting for.

“We learned more discipline and respect for others. They don’t only fight for their own welfare but also for others,” he said.

Añover’s mother Lucia said she learned about the NPA decision to release her son on Monday evening.

Alabaso’s family, along with Duterte, waited for his arrival at Camp Panacan on Tuesday afternoon. The two former captives were brought to Camp Panacan on board a helicopter.

Duterte said he facilitated the release of the soldiers from the hands of the rebel group.

“This is people’s revolution through the NPA. Now, I facilitated the soldiers’ release because the military would ask me to,” he said.