Military, police ops in Sultan Kudarat suspended

From the Philippine News Agency (Feb 20): Military, police ops in Sultan Kudarat suspended

Military and police operations have been suspended in parts of Sultan Kudarat province to facilitate the release of two Army soldiers who were seized by New People’s Army (NPA) rebels in Columbio town last February 2.

Sultan Kudarat Governor Sultan Pax Mangudadatu said he had asked police and Army units operating in Columbio town and the neighboring areas to cease their operations until after the negotiations for the release of the abducted soldiers is finished.

The governor, who also chairs the Regional Peace and Order Council of Region 12, said he had talked to one of the leaders of the NPA unit that is holding Sgt. Solaiman Calocop and Private 1st Class (Pfc) Samuel Garay, both of the Army’s 39th Infantry Battalion (IB), as “prisoners of war” or POWs.

The two were on their way to their detachment aboard a motorcycle when they were stopped and forcibly taken by around 20 heavily-armed rebels from the Front 72 in Purok 7, Barangay Telafas in Columbio.

Mangudadatu said the rebels assured him that the two soldiers are alive and being treated properly.

“I told them that if they want to be friends with the people of Sultan Kudarat, they should immediately release the two soldiers,” he said.

The NPA’s Valentin Palamine Regional Operations Command-Far South Mindanao earlier confirmed that it had been holding Sgt. Calocop and Pfc. Garay as POWs.

Last week, the rebels released recorded videos of the abducted soldiers as “proof of life.”

The two acknowledged that they were being treated well by their captors, but at the same time called for help from President Rodrigo Duterte, and urged the suspension of military operations in areas under the 39IB.

On Sunday, the Communist Party of the Philippines said it had ordered the NPA to release its six POWs, including Calocop and Garay, as it sought for the resumption of the stalled peace negotiations with the government.

Mangudadatu said the NPA rebels holding the two soldiers had not given any demand for their release.

“Besides, the government could not give in to any demand if there will be any,” he said.

But the governor said they are open to discuss “anything” with the rebels once the soldiers are released.

http://www.pna.gov.ph/index.php?idn=2&sid=&nid=2&rid=965517