3 datus abducted by rebels freed

From the Mindanao Times (Sep 24): 3 datus abducted by rebels freed
 

THREE Lumad leaders allegedly abducted by members of New People’s Army months ago were released on Sunday morning in Talaingod, Davao del Norte.

Datu Nestor Apas of Langilan-Manobo tribe, in a phone interview yesterday, said that Datu Danilo Angcomog, Datu Laris Landakay and Datu Jovanie Angcomog,. all residents of Sitio Inayaman in San Jose, San Fernando, Bukidnon were freed by their abdcutors.

“I haven’t talked to them yet because of the trauma they suffered,” he said in Visayan.

Apas said the three were released after negotiations between the Tribal Council of Bukidnon and the New People’s Army led by Kumander Jose.

Datu Kalumpot Dalon, also a resident of Sitio Inayaman, was already released last month after the Talaingod Tribal Council paid a whole pig to the rebels.

He said the Datus were sighted at the boundary of Talaingod and the tribal council immediately contacted the rebel group for their safe release. They were turned over on Tuesday to their community and are now under custody with the Bukidnon Tribal council.

They were released after the council paid a horse to the rebels. However, they could not comply with the second demand for them to withdraw the case against the activist leaders.

He said the one who filed the case against the activists was Tata Lundia who already committed suicide inside the UCCP Haran compound.

Reportedly, the abducted tribal leaders were said to be witnesses who were willing to give their testimonies on the alleged human trafficking against legal front organizations of the NPAs which resulted to the death of Datu Lito “Lolong” Lundia inside UCCP Haran compound in Davao City.

Relatives of Datu Dalun told the military that prior to the incident, they saw Kumander Jose convince Dalun to drop the case.

Accordingly, the victims were waylaid by the rebels and forcibly brought to unknown place.
The villagers condemned the kidnapping saying that they are already fed up with the abuses, harassments and deception of the communist rebels in the area, the army officer said.

http://mindanaotimes.net/3-datus-abducted-by-rebels-freed/