NPAs conducts series of abduction in Davao hinterlands

From the Philippine News Agency (Jan 4): NPAs conducts series of abduction in Davao hinterlands

Alleged members of the New People's Army (NPA) conducted series of abduction involving 14 civilians and two members of the Citizen Armed Force Geographical Unit (CAFGUs) in Barangay Tambobong, Baguio district from Dec. 23 to Dec. 31, the military reported on Friday. Lt. Col. Lyndon Paniza, spokesperson of the Philippine Army’s 10th Infantry Division, said 11 residents of Barangay Tambobong were held captive by the armed rebel group led by a certain Ka Bobby on Dec. 23, 2012. Ka Bobby was reported to have sown terror at the barangay during the yuletide season.

Paniza said based on residents accounts, an estimated number of 140 NPAs stayed in the barangay to conduct recruitment, intimidation and kidnapping activities. At around 5:30 a.m. on Dec. 30, 2012, two CAFGU Active Auxiliary (CAA) members Artemio Sitoy and Romeo Bulod, both of Sitio Mangas-as were forcibly taken for interrogation and held captive for almost 12 hours. The victims narrated that the NPAs asked them for names of all the CAFGU members and civilian military supporters residing in the barangay. The victims said that they were singled out by the new NPA recruits who were also residents of the barangay.

The group also kidnapped but later released Jun Lopez, Junjun Alonzo and Tata Pandian, all residents of Sitio Luyan on Dec. 31. According to the victims, one of the residents of the same barangay believed to be a supporter of the rebel group told them that they have an issue to be settled with the NPA and they were accounted to answer some questions. Alarmed and terrorized, the victims tried to evade the NPAs but were chanced upon by the bandits while on their way to the neighboring sitio. They were held captive from 5:30 a.m. and were released at around 3:30 p.m. after undergoing rigid interrogation. According to the victims, the group was composed of around 70 armed men and women conducting medical mission-like activity at the sitio.

At around 4 p.m. of the same day, another CAFGU member identified as Tony Pandian was also abducted and then freed by the rebel group after being questioned. According to one of the civilian victims, Pandian was told by Ka Bobby to leave the military service or his son would be taken by the NPA to join the armed revolution. Some witnesses said the group went to Pandian’s house twice.

Aside from the abduction incidents in Barangay Tambobong, the rebel group kidnapped seven other residents of Sitio Laputan and were coerced to join them. Four of them were identified as Toto Belarmiya, Adonis Belarmiya, Elmer Amad and Toto Duyan who were all taken before the NPA Anniversary Celebration last Dec. 26.

Last Dec. 31, three more civilians were captured and were forced to join the NPAs. They were identified as Boyet Duyan and Joel Espina of Upper Tambobong and Lower Luyan of the same barangay and a certain Junjun Ogao, not from Barangay Tambobong but identified as the grandson of the late Datu Causing Ogao who was killed by the NPA last July 2012.

Another resident of Barangay Tambobong, Boy Betil was also abducted by the NPAs on Dec. 23, 2012 at Sitio Sayawan, Barangay Salaysay, Marilog District, Davao City. He was suspected as a military informant. Some witnesses said Betil was tortured, immersed in Tuli River and remained to be still in the hands of the rebel group. Until now, no one knows the whereabouts of Boy Betil. The kidnapping incidents and the presence of the New People’s Army in Barangay Tambobong has prevented the observance and celebration of the community of the Yuletide Season and of the New Year. Most of the rebels stayed overnight at the residents’ houses. Some of the residents left their houses and moved at neighboring sitios and barangay because they were frightened of the presence of the NPA at their houses. Several residents opted not to go home to celebrate New Year with their families upon knowing the presence of the rebel group.

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