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Commie rebels capture soldier, policeman in Southern Philippines
 Communist rebels have seized a government soldier and a policemen at a checkpoint in the southern Philippine province of Compostela Valley.Rigoberto Sanchez, spokesman for the New Peoples Army, said they are holding Private First Class Jesrel Colanggo and Senior Police Officer 1 Ruel Pasion. Both were intercepted and disarmed in the village of Mangloy in Laak town on Thursday. He said, The two prisoners of war are being treated well, their safety is of primordial consideration, as the NPA abides the tenets of international humanitarian law." Sanchez said the soldier is part of the 60th Infantry Battalion which the NPA said was behind a series of extrajudicial killings of innocent civilians in the region. He said, The 60th Infantry Battalions bloody record against the masses, included the summary execution of peasant Totong Mabinse, of the village of Datu in Laak town, and the forced recruitment and coercive surrender of peasants." The capture of the pair came a day after security forces attacked an NPA team in nearby Davao Orientals Baganga town, setting off a fierce battle that left a still undetermined number of soldiers killed and injured. Sanchez claimed government troops sealed entry and exit points in Davao Oriental, virtually choking off the supply of humanitarian aid to victims of a past typhoon. Security officials gave no statement about the capture of the soldier and policeman. Neither did the 10th Infantry Division and the Eastern Mindanao Command which has jurisdiction to the area give any statement. Army officials did not return or ignored phone calls by reporters. Posted by: ryuge 2013-01-19 |
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