Government forces are now conducting hot pursuit operation
against suspected members of the New People’s Army (NPA) who snatched Mayor
Dario Otaza of Loreto, Agusan del Sur and his son, Daryl, from their home in
the village of Baan, Butuan City at about 6:50 p.m. Monday.
In a statement, Undersecretary Manny Bautista of the Cabinet
Cluster on Security, Justice, and Peace, said “Otaza is himself a former rebel
and a member of the Manobo indigenous people’s group.”
“Since his (Otaza) surrender, he has been a partner of
government in ensuring that the gains of inclusive growth reach the broadest
spectrum of his constituents,” he said.
Bautista explained that Otaza is a local partner of the
national government’s Serbisyo Caravan and helped facilitate the surrender of
154 NPA rebels.
“The Mayor then put up programs that were instrumental in
ensuring that rebel returnees like himself get the necessary support as they
transition back into the mainstream,” he said.
Bautista disclosed that “several NPA rebels who enjoy
kinship with Mayor Otaza through the IP (indigenous people’s) network have
indicated a desire to reenter formal society because of the Mayor’s integrity,
credibility, and the success of his programs.”
He, thus, stressed that abduction of people “especially of
upright, development-oriented public servants who are well-respected in their
community, have no place in a civilized society.”
“This only goes to show the lengths to which those who wish
to obstruct our efforts towards peace and development will go through, in order
to fulfill their agenda,” he said.
Bautista assured the public that the government is one with
the “people of Loreto in condemning this incident.”
”Our uniformed services are now conducting pursuit and
follow up operations to ensure the safe return of Mayor Otaza and his son,” he
added.
http://www.pna.gov.ph/index.php?idn=1&sid=&nid=1&rid=817032
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