Rebels may release more captives today

By NITZ ARANCON
Correspondent

THE New People’s Army (NPA) may decide to release four more “prisoners if war” today, a member of a third party group of facilitators said yesterday.

Bishop Felixberto Calang of the Iglesia Filipina Independiente said this during the turnover of freed captive SPO4 Rene Rombo to the National Police yesterday afternoon.

Calang said that if plans don’t miscarry, the NPA would free SPO1 Warren Hansel Canales and PO1 Edwin Panis Cantor who were taken captive in Impasugong, Bukidnon,  and Pfcs. Glenn Austria and Diven Tawide who were seized in Agusan   del Norte the same day.

“The crisis committees of Bukidnon and Agusan del Norte are ready to receive the remaining policemen and soldiers who are in the hands of the NPA  tomorrow (today),” said Calang.

Chief Supt. Jose Gentiles, police director for northern Mindanao, said Rombo’s release yesterday was a result of a five-day unilateral    suspension of police and military operations in Northern Mindanao.

Camp Alagar spokesman Supt. Surki Sereñas said the unilateral ceasefire took effect on April 30 until May 4.

SPO4 Rombo was formally turned over to by the third party facilitators to Gentiles at around 2:30 pm yesterday. Gentiles then turned over Rombo to provincial police director Senior Supt. Manuel Sukarno Alvarez, policeman’s direct superior.

Gov. Yevgeny Vincente Emano said he has terminated the crisis committee he created in April 4 after Rombo’s release. He said his hoped no other police officer or soldier would be taken captive by rebels in the province.

Rombo said he was very thankful to the officials and religious leaders who worked to secure his release.

“Sa akong 29 ka adlaw nga tu-a sa kamot sa NPA, lisod kaayo  akong kahimtang, kapoy ug na-a kanunay sa akong huna-huna ang kabalaka unsa na  kahay nahitabo sa akong pamilya,” said Rombo. But he added that the NPA took care of him.