NPAs stop gov’s convoy in Compostela; cop snatched

DAVAO CITY, Philippines – A few days after President Aquino ordered authorities to dismantle all checkpoints put up by the New People’s Army (NPA), the communist rebels struck again, this time harassing the convoy of the Compostela Valley governor and later taking hostage a policeman late Sunday afternoon.

NPA guerrillas blocked the eight-vehicle convoy of Compostela Valley Gov. Arthur Uy and kidnapped his police escort at a mobile checkpoint set up by the rebels at the boundary of Barangays Malamodao and Golden Valley in Maco, Compostela Valley.

Uy told The STAR the rebels took with them Senior Police Officer 1 Alan Pansoy of the provincial police office, whom the governor personally asked to be his security escort.

The governor said the rebels told Pansoy to stay after the NPA team leader demanded that the policeman show his identification card.

“I told the rebels the ones with me were all my supporters and campaigners. But the rebels asked for everyone’s IDs and the police officer abided by the request and gave his ID,” Uy said.

Uy said that he and his group, including six candidates for provincial board member and his supporters, just came from a campaign rally in the hinterlands of the neighboring Barangay Anitapan and that they were on their way back to their headquarters at around 3:30 p.m. last Sunday.

When they reached the boundary of Malamodao and Golden Valley, Uy said, their vehicles were stopped at the checkpoint, which they first thought was a military checkpoint but turned out to be a mobile rebel outpost.

“Madali lang ito (This will be quick) Gov, and proceeded to ask everyone in the convoy to alight from their vehicles. They checked each one and then were asked to again board the vehicles. It was as if the rebels were looking for someone,” Uy said.

Uy said they were about to leave when the NPA rebels asked for the identification cards of his companions and it was then that Pansoy presented his Philippine National Police ID.

Southern Mindanao regional police director Chief Superintendent Jaime Morente said police and the military units in the area have embarked on a pursuit operation against the rebels who took Pansoy.

“The Philippine National Police is working for the safe release of the victims,” said PNP spokesman Chief Superintendent Generoso Cerbo Jr.

Pansoy’s kidnapping brought the number of government troops held by NPA rebels to two in this insurgency-plagued province.

The NPA rebels also snatched Pfc. Jesus Tomas of the Army’s 71st Infantry Battalion while he was buying food at the Maco public market.

President Aquino ordered last week the police and military to dismantle all checkpoints put up by the NPA rebels who are reportedly harassing and extorting money from local candidates in the May 13 elections.

Col. Arnulfo Burgos, Armed Forces of the Philippines spokesman, described the kidnapping of Pansoy as part of another extortion scheme by the rebels to take advantage of the coming polls to extort funds to sustain their criminal activities.

“We are helping and assisting our police counterparts in their ongoing rescue efforts,” Burgos said.

“We are closely coordinating with our police counterparts in the conduct of pursuit operations,” Burgos said, adding that the troops were also deployed to set up roadblocks and checkpoints in known exit areas of the rebels in the towns of Mawab, Mabini, Maco and Pantukan.

Earlier, Army chief Lt. Gen. Noel Coballes likened the NPAs to the Abu Sayyaf that is behind the string of kidnap-for-ransom activities in Basilan, Sulu and Tawi-Tawi.

In this year’s midterm elections, the NPA leadership plans to collect P500 million from extortion activities, victimizing national and local candidates. – With Jaime Laude, Cecille Suerte Felipe