Philippine rebels free captured jail warden

From the Mindanao Examiner  BlogSpot site (Jan 19): Philippine rebels free captured jail warden 

A Filipino jail warden held by communist rebels has been freed on Monday in the southern Philippines, but three other policemen are still in captivity and there is no sign of an imminent release unless security forces are pulled out from their enclaves in the restive region.

Rubi del Mundo, a spokesman for the New People’s Army rebels, said Jose Coquilla was released for humanitarian and political reason in Compostela Valley. 

“The National Democratic Front of the Philippines - Southern Mindanao releases today Jose Merven Coquilla…as a unilateral exercise of political authority, humanitarianism, and to help propel for the immediate resumption of the peace negotiations,” Del Mundo said.

Coquilla, the provincial jail warden of Compostela Valley, was taken captive by rebels in Panabo City in December last year. He was accused of negligence in the supervision of inmates and his “direct and indirect, overt and covert participation of drug trade and drug use inside the Compostela Valley jail.”

According to the complaints received by the NPA, the warden has allegedly siphoned off funds which are already slashed by high officials of the ruling state prison and that Coquilla’s corruption has resulted in the inadequate medical and health care and food provision for inmates.

“The NDFP-SMR, however, suspended its judicial proceedings against Coquilla as a humanitarian act in response to the pleas of his family and representatives from the GPH and well-meaning individuals, and as a gesture of compassion and mercy—a message that is reverberating in the country with the recent visit of Pope Francis.”

“The suspension of revolutionary judicial process over respondent Coquilla is also a unilateral exercise of political authority of the NDFP, as an act of goodwill for the immediate resumption of peace negotiations between the GPH and the NDFP. As such, the case of Coquilla is being archived,” Del Mundo said.

He said Coquilla can be arrested again in case “the masses file new charges against him and if he is found to be unremorseful.”

There was no immediate statement from prison or military and police officials about the release of Coquilla, but rebels are still holding PO3 Democrito Polvorosa, PO1 Marichel Contemplo and PO1 Junrie Amper.

Communist rebels have demanded the immediate pull out of troops in Surigao province to allow the safe release of the prisoners. The rebels also asked Governor Sol Matugas to order the military to withdraw its forces so rebels can free the policemen.

Matugas even wrote a letter to Brig. Gen. Jonathan Ponce, commander of the 402nd Infantry Brigade, and asked him to suspend the so-called Community Organizing for Peace and Development (COPD) program of the military to allow the NPA to free all three hostages.

Ponce, in his reply to Matugas’ letter, said troops would not do anything that would put the lives of the policemen in jeopardy. He said he cannot withdraw troops in the province, but he ordered battalion commanders for the temporary suspension of Peace and Development Outreach Program and Community-Based Peace and Development efforts to pave way for the immediate release of the hostages.

“In view of the said provisions, the demand of the NPA to pull out our troops conducting COPD and the conduct of checkpoints cannot be granted. I will not allow the total pull out of troops in the area.”

“On the other hand, I ordered my battalion commanders for the temporary suspension of Peace and Development Outreach Program and Community-Based Peace and Development efforts to pave way for the immediate release of the kidnapped victims,” Ponce said.

He said security patrols is aimed to protect civilian communities, government establishments, investment facilities, and vital structures, including military camps, detachments, patrol bases, installations and outposts against armed groups. Ponce said the checkpoints also serve to prevent the illegal transport of weapons or explosives by civilians and rebel groups.

The NPA  - which is fighting for a separate state in the country - recently released Pvts. Marnel Cinches and Jerrel Yurong in Bukidnon province in northern Mindanao due to humanitarian reason following their capture in August last year in Impasug-ong town; and also Pfc. Alvin Ricarte and Cpl. Benjamin Samano in Compostela Valley province.

Government peace talks with the NPA collapsed in 2004 after rebels accused then President Gloria Arroyo of reneging on several agreements, among them the release of all political prisoners in the country and the removal of the terrorist tag on the Communist Party of the Philippines and its political wing, the National Democratic Front of the Philippines, and the NPA.  Manila also suspended the Joint Agreement on Safety and Immunity Guarantees after the peace talks failed.

http://www.mindanaoexaminer.net/2015/01/philippine-rebels-free-captured-jail.html