Communist New People's Army rebels claimed this week to have taken an Army corporal as a so-called prisoner of war (POW) in Davao del Norte province.
NPA Comval-North Davao-South Agusan Sub-region Sub-regional Command spokesperson Aris Francisco said Cpl. Rogelio Rosales was "arrested" last May 3 in Kapalong, Davao del Norte.
The abduction came on the same day communist rebels took 39 people hostage in Compostela Valley. The 39 have since been released.
In a statement, Francisco said the supposed arrest was part of its total log ban campaign as he accused Rosales of "coddling and protecting massive logging in Agusan del Sur, Compostela Valley and Davao del Norte provinces."
Francisco said Rosales, a member of the Army's 60th Infantry Battalion Bravo Company, was arrested 7 a.m. May 3 in Brgy. Florida in Kapalong.
According to the NPA spokesperson, Rosales' "arrest" came after that of Sgt. Jeric Curay of the Army's 72nd Infantry Battalion last April 4. Curay was released April 23.
"... Rosales was [in] the process of arranging for the transit of logs when apprehended by the NPA. A sachet of shabu (methamphetamine hydrochloride) was also found in his possession, proof that soldiers who are coddling big loggers in the province were also into the illegal drug trade," Francisco added.
Meanwhile, a separate report on Bombo Radyo quoted Lt. Col. Jake Oblegado of the Army's 10th Infantry Division Civil Military Operations unit as saying they are working to rescue Rosales.
The same report cited initial information that Rosales was in civilian clothes and was riding a motorcycle to visit friends when he was taken hostage.
The report said his relatives have appealed to the NPAs to release him, adding the NPAs had accused Rosales of protecting illegal logging in the area – an allegation Oblegado denied.
Oblegado added Rosales was helping deliver social services in the area.
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