Abducted cops safe – NPA leader

From the Manila Bulletin (Nov 18): Abducted cops safe – NPA leader

Butuan City - A New People’s Army (NPA) spokesperson has claimed that the two policemen the rebels abducted in Placer, Surigao del Norte were in safe condition, and that their families need not worry.

According to Ka Oto, speaking on behalf of the guerilla-Front Committee 16 in Surigao del Norte, PO2s John Doverte and Alfredo Degamon “are in safe condition and families, relatives and friends have nothing to worry (about).”

Ka Oto gave the statement in a live radio interview here, following the appeal made by the Crisis Management Committee (CMC) on Friday, through its spokesperson Placer town Sangguniang Bayan member Sonny Caluña, on the safety of the hostages.

The families of the victims personally requested members of the provincial and municipal CMCs, led by Surigao del Norte Governor Sol F. Matugas, to intercede for the safe release of the abducted policemen.

The wife of 28-year old Doverte is reportedly five months pregnant while the 33-year old Degamon is set to get married in January 2018.

The custodial force of guerilla-Front Committee 16-B declared the two abducted policemen as their ‘prisoners of war’ (POWs), but assured their families that Doverte and Degamon were being treated humanely and their rights, protected in accordance to international laws, Ka Oto said.

On Monday, about 20 communist rebels aboard two Starex vans from Cabadbaran City in Agusan del Norte, snatched the two policemen at 1:40 p.m. at their assigned police outpost in Barangay Bad-as public market in Placer town, Surigao del Norte.

Ka Oto said the custodial force was looking into alleged atrocities committed by the two policemen against local villagers and in relation to the government’s war on drugs.

However, Placer MPS claimed that the two policemen have no derogatory record.

Matugas said the provincial government was exerting all efforts to ensure the safe release of the captives.

The families of the two abducted policemen were given financial assistance by the governor, while counseling was given by the CMC.

https://news.mb.com.ph/2017/11/18/abducted-cops-safe-npa-leader/