Wife of abducted jail warden appeals for his release

From the Philippine News Agency (Jan 11): Wife of abducted jail warden appeals for his release

The wife of abducted Provincial Rehabilitation Center (PRC) ComVal Jail Warden Jose Mervin Coquilla plead to her husband’s abductor to release him before his birthday on January 18.

“Nagahangyo mi sa mga nikuha sa akong husband nga ibalik og safe akong bana kay hapit na iyang birthday karong January 18, (We plead to those who abducted my husband to return him safely to us before his birthday on January 18)” cried Lijobeth Coquilla in a press conference facilitated by Exodus for Justice and Peace at Haran, UCCP, Madapo Hills, Davao City on Friday.

Mrs. Coquilla begged for the safe and immediate release of Warden Coquilla whom she described as loving husband and responsible father to their three children.

“It really breaks us (family) down and it has affected us a lot,” Mrs. Coquilla said.

The abduction of Warden Coquilla left his family and friends in grief and deeply worried, bringing his co-employees in the provincial government, religious leaders, human rights practitioners and other concerned citizen’s plea for his immediate release.

Saddened by the incident, the employees and officials of the provincial government of Compostela Valley, led by Governor Arturo Uy, condemned the abduction of Warden Coquilla and made a signature campaign among capitol employees calling for the release of their colleague.

Moreover, Governor Uy is now in constant dialogue with Davao City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte, Chairman of the Regional Peace and Order Council (RPOC), asking for help in negotiating for the warden’s release.

Duterte is labeled as “Savior of Prisoners-of-War (POW)” for facilitating release of a number of soldiers and police officers seized by communist rebels through his negotiations with the communist New People’s Army (NPA).

In his Sunday program, Duterte expressed optimism Coquilla will be freed. He even assured the jail warden’s family that he is being treated well according to international laws provided under the Geneva Convention on the treatment of POWs.

Duterte asked to give him some time to talk with the NPAs again and the communist party’s political arm the National Democratic Front (NDF).

He said there are demands on the release of Coquilla that he needs to communicate again with the rebels.

Last Thursday, city officials from ComVal appeared to talk with the mayor. Duterte allowed the NPAs to talk to the warden’s wife.

Coquilla was abducted by communist rebels while he and his family were on their way to church for the simbang gabi on December 23 in Panabo City, Davao del Norte. He was snatched by NPAs from his car wash near his residence.

http://www.pna.gov.ph/index.php?idn=2&sid=&nid=2&rid=724022