DILG chief cites 2 cops wounded in NPA raid in Surigao del Norte

From the Philippine News Agency (Jul 30): DILG chief cites 2 cops wounded in NPA raid in Surigao del Norte

Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) Secretary Manuel A. Roxas personally pinned the Medalya ng Sugatang Magiting to two police officers who were wounded while defending the municipal police station of Alegria in Surigao del Norte from New People’s Army (NPA) attack last July 10.

Roxas handed the awards in a ceremony held at the Kitcharao Elementary School in Agusan del Norte on Tuesday, which served as government command center for the release of four other policemen held captive by the NPA after the Alegria raid.

The DILG chief was accompanied by Director General Alan Purisima, Philippine National Police Chief Director, when he pinned the Medalya ng Sugatang Magiting on Police Officer 2 Romero B. Dagsa and PO2 Reuben C. Salino, both detailed at the Alegria municipal police station.

“Hindi matatawaran ang katapangang ipinakita ninyo sa paggampan sa tungkulin. Magsilbi sana kayong huwaran sa mga kasama ninyo sa PNP. Ipinakita rin ninyo na handa ang ating mga pulis na itaya ang kanilang buhay para sa kapakanan ng ating mamamayan (The courage you showed in performing your duties is incredible. This will serve to inspire all members of the PNP and also show that our policemen are ready to put their lives for the sake of our people),” Roxas told the two policemen.

After the awarding ceremony, Roxas personally received PO3 Vic Calubag Concon, PO1 Rey O’niel Morales, PO1 Joen B. Zabala and PO1 Edito F. Roquino who were freed on that same day by the National Democratic Front-North Eastern Mindanao Region (NDF-NEMR) after 19 days of captivity.

The NPA rebels released the four policemen unharmed at around 5:30 p.m. Tuesday to a team of local officials led by Agusan del Norte Gov. Angel Amante, who fetched the officers in the mountain barangay of Hinabangan in Kitcharao town.

The police officers were reunited with their wives who were waiting with Roxas, Purisima and Presidential Peace Adviser Teresita Deles at the government command center in Kitcharao Elementary School, located about seven kilometers from the release site.

The police officers were later taken to a government hospital for medical check-up.

Negotiations for the release of the four police officers scored a major breakthrough last week after the National Democratic Front-Northeastern Mindanao sought the intercession of Roxas to break an impase in ongoing talks to secure the policemen's freedom.

The Local Crisis Committee led by Surigao del Norte Gov. Sol Matugas had begun negotiating with the NDF-NEMR for the policemen's freedom immediately after the rebel raid on Alegria.

Initially, the NDFP-NEMR demanded that government security forces declare a 10 day-ceasefire (SOMO/SOPO) in Surigao City and 14 municipalities in the mainland of Surigao del Norte as preconditions for the policemen's release.

After a series of negotiations with the local crisis committee, the NDFP reduced the ceasefire period to six days covering only six municipalities in the mainland of Surigao del Norte.

Last Saturday, the NDFP-NEMR informed Roxas through an emissary that the NPA units holding the four policemen as hostages are amenable in releasing their captives if government security forces will agree on a five-day ceasefire covering the towns of Placer, Bacuag, Tubod, Gigaquit, Alegria and Claver, in Surigao del Norte; and the towns of Kitcharao, Jabonga and Santiago, in Agusan del Norte.

Last Sunday, Roxas announced that the military and the police agreed to meet the rebels' precondition to pave the way for the safe release of the four police officers.

The DILG chief's announcement prompted the NDF-NEMR to issue a corresponding ceasefire order, which led to the eventual release of the four policemen.

http://www.pna.gov.ph/index.php?idn=1&sid=&nid=1&rid=667631