Rebels abduct 4 cops

DAVAO CITY – Four policemen were abducted at around 8:30 a.m. yesterday by at least 40 suspected New People’s Army rebels who disguised themselves as military personnel and conducted a checkpoint at Barangay Onguyan at the gold rush site in Mt. Diwalwal in Monkayo, Compostela Valley.

The rebels, led by certain Commanders Daryl and Jason also snatched three policemen, identified as PO3 Rogelio Entrata, PO3 Jerry Realino and PO2 Hector Culaste. Another policeman, one PO3 Raymund Quinsang was also reported to have been taken by the rebels.

Entrata and Realino were reportedly released later yesterday morning but Culaste and Quinsang remained in the custody of the rebels.

The policemen were reported to have been assigned at the police headquarters in-charge of the peace and order at the mining site.

According to Southern Mindanao regional police director Chief Superintendent Andres Caro II, the rebels also burned a mini-dumptruck owned by the National Mining Resources Development Corp. that passed by the said route going up to Mt. Diwalwal.

The rebels then fled to the direction going toward the nearby Barangay Ulip.

Armed Forces Eastern Mindanao Command (Eastmincom) spokesman Armando Rico said elements of the Army’s 28th Infantry Battalion were immediately dispatched to pursue the attacking rebels. – Edith Regalado, Jaime Laude and AP