BUKIDNON. New People's Army combatants escort Prisoners of War PO2 Anthony Natividad of Kalilangan, Bukidnon, during his release at Barangay Dominorog, Talakag town, Thursday morning, April 27. (Joey Nacalaban)
AFTER two months and eighteen days, captured policeman Anthony Natividad was finally freed around 11:46 a.m., Thursday, April 27 in Barangay Dominorog, Talakag town, Bukidnon.
The release took place in the barangay's covered court just beside the national highway, surrounded by many residential houses.
A few minutes after the third party facilitators and the media arrived at the venue, a platoon of the New People's Army (NPA) rebels came marching in the barangay's covered court, along with Natividad, whose hands were loosely tied with chain.
Wearing a blue shirt printed "1990," white shoes, and a backpack slung over his right shoulder, Natividad looked like he was ready to go home.
In a brief interview, Natividad thanked those who helped secure his release through tedious negotiations.
"Gi-atiman man ko nila og tarong. (They took care of me well)," Natividad said.
Ka Kiram, spokesperson of the custodial force belonging to the Mt. Kitanglad-South Regional Operational Command, presented Natividad to the public and said he was proud that they returned the police officer without any injury.
Ka Kiram said they continue support the ongoing peace talks in The Netherlands to achieve just and lasting peace, and to prevent the same thing from happening again.
The temporary suspension of military and police operations was made possible through the Expression of Aspiration issued by City Mayor Oscar Moreno in his capacity as chairman of the Regional Peace and Order Council (RPOC)-Northern Mindanao.
Iglesia Filipina Independiente (IFI) Bishop Felixberto Calang, who led the third party local facilitators, said the release Thursday was different in its form.
"Ang sauna man gud, ang Somo (suspension of offensive military operations) kaniadto is Department of National Defense ang mag-issue (Before, the Somo was issued by the Department of National Defense), but this cannot be done now. So karon, ang RPOC mismo ang nag-issue, not necessarily the same ang content (Now, the RPOC itself was the one who issued, not necessarily the same content with the Somo), but the effect is all the same," Calang said.
Calang said the document issued by Moreno constituted the same features with the actual temporary suspension policy.
"Although of course naa ra sila kung asa sila karon in their posts or camps (Of course, the soldiers and police have not left their posts or camps), but they were instructed by their commanders to stay put," he said.
In the Expression of Aspiration document signed last April 23, Moreno said that military forces stationed in the North and Central Bukidnon areas agreed to remain in their respective areas and refrain from conducting offensive operations that will jeopardize the safe release and handover process.
The military also agreed to refrain from launching offensive operations in their respective areas foras long as necessary to effect the safe and orderly release of the captured policeman. Both parties also agreed to keep media releases to a minimum to ensure a smooth and safe release. Moreno said the aspiration manifestation was a "spontaneous response."
"When I met with Bishop Calang and Colonel Alvarez, I realized that kung doumento ang hanapon, it would take time, it's going to be difficult, so I said, what if, I express our aspiration, I express what we want to happen to pave the way for the release of PO2 Natividad," Moreno said.
Moreno said what he did was "simply summarized what's in their hearts."
"It's good that both sides understood, because there is tremendous amount of goodwill that both sides showed," he added.
The release was witnessed by priests and bishops of the IFI and the Roman Catholic, pastors from the United Church of Christ in the Philippines, and mayors Miguel Silva Jr. of Pangantucan, Bukidnon, and Omaradji Pizarro of Kalilangan town.
After the short program, Natividad immediately went home in Pangantucan with his family.
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