WORRIED. Iglesia Filipina Independiente Bishop Felixberto Calang (standing, right) with officials and relatives of soldiers and policemen taken captive by communist rebels appeal for help. (PHOTO BY NITZ ARANCON)
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By Gerald Leigh Laquinon,
NITZ ARANCON, and LITO
RULONA, Correspondents

NEW People’s Army (NPA) rebels exploded crude bombs and hurt at least two soldiers in an outlying village in Malaybalay, Bukidnon as they tried to fight off government troops that launched an offensive in response to last weekend’s capture of three policemen and two soldiers in Northern Mindanao and Caraga.

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Capt. Lorenzo Siobal, spokesman of the Army’s 403rd Infantry Brigade, said Pfcs. Alden dela Cruz and Jessie Lumayaga of the 8th Infantry Battalion were wounded when communist rebels detonated bombs as they were exchanging firepower with government troops in the hinterland village of Manalog in Malaybalay City at noon Tuesday.

Siobal said there was an exchange of firepower between government forces and some 20 rebels. He said the rebels withdrew.

The NPA has claimed that rebels ambushed the soldiers.

Siobal said the wounded were rushed to a government hospital in Malaybalay for splinter wounds in the chest and head. He said the soldiers are in stable condition at presstime.

He said the soldiers were conducting pursuit operations in the hope of taking back police officers seized by rebels in Bukidnon and Talisayan, Misamis Oriental on Sunday.

Siobal criticized the NPA’s use of improvised explosive devices, saying it was a blatant disregard of Geneva Convention rules.

Allan Juanito, NPA regional spokesperson, maintained that the NPA has been using command-detonated explosives which are not prohibited by international laws.

Relatives of the policemen held captive by the NPA went to Iglesia Filipina Independiente  (IFI) Bishop Felixberto Calang, and asked for help.

Calang earlier cautioned the police and military against taking drastic steps that could put the captives and innocent villagers at risk. He appealed again to the government not to pursue the military offensive so as to allow negotiations.

Misamis Oriental Gov. Yevgeny Vincente Emano said he would meet on Friday with a “crisis committee” that would work for the release of SPO4 Rene Rombo who was abducted at a NPA roadblock in Barangay Mandahilag, Talisayan Misamis Oriental. There are two other policemen–SPO1 Warren Hansol Coñales and PO3 Edwin Castor–who were seized in Impasug-ong, Bukidnon, and two soldiers–Pfcs. Glenn Austia and Diven Abion Tawide–who were caught in Agusan del Norte.

Emano asked Calang and Roman Catholic Archbishop Antonio Ledesma to help in the crisis committee.

Camp Alagar  spokesman Supt. Surki Sereñas said Misamis Oriental police director Senior Supt. Sukarno Alvares and Bukidnon police director Senior Supt. Reynaldo Padulla created special investigation task groups to focus on the abductions.

Sereñas said the police have identified suspects in the abduction of Rombo, Coñales, and Castor, and witnesses have come forward.

Sereñas said the police would charge the suspects with kidnapping with illegal detention, usurpation of authority, grave threats, and highway robbery.

Chief Supt. Lyndel Desquitado, police director for northern Mindanao, confirmed that a string of cases were being prepared against rebels based on available evidence gathered in Bukidnon and Misamis Oriental.

Desquitado said the rebels would also be charged with illegal possession of firearms and ammunition, and indiscriminate firing–they allegedly fired shots at a vehicle that passed an NPA roadblock.

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