Compostela soldier, militiaman seized

MANILA, Philippines - Communist rebels kidnapped last Saturday morning an unarmed Army man and a militiaman in Monkayo, Compostela Valley, four days after they released three other soldiers and a militiaman they seized in the province last month.

Capt. Emmanuel Garcia, 10th Infantry Division spokesman, said S/Sgt. Bienvenido Arguilles of the 25th Infantry Battalion and militiaman Job Latiban of the 72nd Infantry Battalion were snatched by a New People’s Army (NPA) unit led by a certain Janggo.

Garcia said Arguilles and Latiban were seized at a checkpoint which around 30 rebels put up in the village of Upper Ulip in Monkayo town. 

“The NPA rebels were also reported to have held commuters and took their cell phones at gunpoint,” he said.   

Garcia said those who witnessed the kidnapping quoted the rebels as saying that they were interested in the Mt. Diwalwal mining area and warning foreigners who would enter the gold-rush site.

Last month, the insurgents kidnapped three unarmed Army men and a militiaman in Mawab town while attending the birthday party of one of the soldiers’ son. The four were freed last June 15 after 34 days in captivity.  

Also last month, Mayor Roberto Luna of Lingig town was about to visit his sick child in the hospital when he and his four escorts were seized by rebels at the boundary of Agusan del Sur and Compostela Valley.

Luna and his aides, according to reports, were allegedly freed after P2-million ransom was paid to the rebels.

Last April, the insurgents kidnapped Lupon town mayoral bet Arfran Quinoes and a village official after the former failed to comply with their extortion demands. – With Edith Regalado