SURIGAO City — Authorities have launched pursuit operations against New People’s Army guerrillas who abducted two police officers in Surigao del Norte on Monday.
Surigao del Norte police director Senior Supt. Anthony Maghari identified the policemen as PO2 John Paul Doverte and PO2 Alfredo Degamon of the police station in Placer town.
Doverte and Degamon were snatched on Monday afternoon by armed men while they were manning an outpost in Barangay Bad-as, Placer.
Police said the heavily armed rebels wore police vests and Criminal Investigation and Detection Group uniforms.
Rebels used two vans that were later abandoned in Sitio Alimatoc in Barangay Mabini, Placer.
The drivers of the vehicles, Benjie Besing, 56, and Donald Pitogo, 46, said the armed men, who they thought were passengers, forced them to leave the vehicles before carrying out the abduction.
Lt. Col. Allen Raymund Tomas, commander of the 30th Infantry Battalion, said the military and police started pursuit operations.
“Ka Oto,” spokesperson of NPA’s Guerrilla Front Committee 16, confirmed over RPN-DxKS that rebels took the policemen.
Oto said the two were being “investigated” to determine if they have anything to do with extrajudicial killings, extortion, and the proliferation of illegal drugs in the province.
He assured the families and relatives of the two policemen that the NPA’s custodial force will treat them humanely as “prisoners of war.” (roel catoto of mindanews)
Disclaimer
Mindanao Gold Star Daily holds the copyrights of all articles and photos in perpetuity. Any unauthorized reproduction in any platform, electronic and hardcopy, shall be liable for copyright infringement under the Intellectual Property Rights Law of the Philippines.
