AFP junks prisoner swap with NPA

MANILA, Philippines - The military yesterday rejected the offer of the New People’s Army (NPA) to release the four jail officers they kidnapped in Bukidnon last month, in exchange for the freedom of their six detained comrades.

Armed Forces chief Gen. Eduardo Oban Jr. said the military does not resort to prisoner swap to secure the freedom of kidnap victims.

“On a tactical level, we don’t do prisoner swap,” Oban said. “The operations (against the insurgents) would continue. We’ll go after the abductors of the four BJMP (Bureau of Jail Management and Penology) officials."

NPA rebels are holding captive Ozamis City jail warden Inspector Erico Llamazares, Cagayan de Oro City jail warden Inspector Murphy Tudyog, Senior Jail Officer 2 Rogelio Begontes, and Jail Officer 1 Rolando Bajuyo. The four BJMP officers were seized by members of the Merardo Arce Command of the NPA in Kitaotao town last July 21. The incident happened when the BJMP officers were transferring detainees from Ozamis City to the Davao Penal Colony when the incident happened.

An emissary of the NPA relayed the prisoner swap offer to Bukidnon Vice Gov. Jose Maria Zubiri, who is conducting talks with the rebels, on Sunday.

Meanwhile, the NPA Merardo Arce Command has given assurance that the rights of the four captured jail officers are being respected.