2 police officers escape from rebels

MANILA, Philippines (AP) — Two police officers being held captive by communist rebels have escaped after seizing a rifle and shooting their guards, the national police spokesman said Friday.

Officer Allan Munez has returned safely to Loreto township in southern Agusan del Sur province but officer Nemuel Espana is missing, Chief Superintendent Generoso Cerbo said.

Munez grabbed an AK-47 rifle from one of the guards and shot him and another New People's Army guerrilla late Thursday, Cerbo said. Munez and Espana then fled from the rebel camp but got separated. Soldiers and police are searching for Espana.

It was unclear if the guerrillas were killed or just wounded.

The rebels seized the officers four days earlier as the two were returning to the Loreto police station after investigating an incident in a nearby village.

On Wednesday, the rebels said in a statement that they had released seven militiamen they had captured separately earlier in the week. They said the militiamen were released for humanitarian reasons after an investigation showed they had not committed any serious human rights violations.

The statement mentioned the rebels were still investigating the two police officers. There has been no rebel statement regarding the escape.

The communist insurgency, one of Asia's longest, has been raging for 44 years.