Military will not bargain with NPA for release of abducted major

FLORIDABLANCA, Pampanga — The military is pursuing rescue operations and will not negotiate with the New People’s Army (NPA) for the release of abducted Air Force Maj. Neptune Eliquin amid reports that NPA spokesman Gregorio Rosal, alias Ka Roger, has admitted that the army officer is being indeed held by communist guerrillas as a prisoner of war.

"We do not accept the belligerency status of the NPA and Rosal’s admission that Eliquin is in their hands would serve as a basis to solidify charges of abduction against the abductors," Monta told The STAR in an interview yesterday.

"You can tell Rosal that the abduction was a plain act of terrorism. Eliquin is a non-combatant and was unarmed when he was abducted, so his abduction violated the Geneva Convention," he said.

He stressed, however, that the military considers Eliquin as an abduction victim, not a prisoner of war.

So far, the NPA has made no demands from the government, he noted. "Perhaps, the NPA wants to use Eliquin for propaganda mileage. Perhaps they just wants attention from the government," he added.

Eliquin, 50, who is the civic-military officer of the 355th engineering wing of the air forced based at the Basa airbase here, was abducted last July 3 by some 30 fully armed NPA rebels at the foot of Susong Dalaga in Barangay Mawakat here. He was on his way to bring old clothes and foodstuffs to Aetas in the mountains together with three civilians, who were immediately released by the rebels.

Monta admitted, however, that the report that Eliquin is being considered as a prisoner of war by the NPA was "comforting."

"Under the protocols of the rules of conflict, prisoners of war are supposed to be treated humanely, and their rights respected," he said.

But he lamented reports from witnesses who claimed to have seen Eliquin that he was bloodied while being led by his captors to an unknown destination in the mountains.

"It seems the NPA is violating the same rules they claim to uphold," he said, stressing that the military will not bargain with the NPA for Eliquin’s release.

"This is not the policy of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP). Our soldiers have been trained in such as situation. It’s part of their job," he noted.