Efforts underway for safe release of abducted cop

From the Philippine News Agency (Aug 18): Efforts underway for safe release of abducted cop

Efforts are underway for safe release of abducted police officer in North Cotabato, Mayor Joseph Evangelista of Kidapawan today said.

Evangelista refused to reveal details of their plan, but said the city government in partnership with the local police will exert all peaceful efforts for the safe release of PO1 Bristol Catalan, an intelligence operative of Makilala police who was seized Wednesday morning.

As of Friday, the communist New Peoples (NPA) operating in North Cotabato has yet to issue statement on the abduction of Catalan.

Four villages have been identified by the provincial peace and order council in a meeting as possible hiding place of gunmen who seized Catalan, a resident of Barangay Katipunan in Makilala.

These villages are Katipunan, Linangkob, Sto Nino and Sikitan believed to be influenced by communist movement.

Catalan's wife remained puzzled what motivated the gunmen to abduct her husband.

Catalan's abduction came two weeks after police and military authorities arrested an alleged NPA commander and seized four high powered guns and bomb making materials.

Supt. Joyce Birrey, speaking for North Cotabato PNP, could not say if Catalan's abduction was related to the arrest of an NPA commander, also in Makilala.

She made public a police hotline where the public can send information about sightings of the abducted police. Information may be relayed to PNP through textline 0918-390-6069.

Birrey described Catalan as good father and a good police officer who has no known enemies in town.

http://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1006736