New People's Army rebels free 3 cops

MANILA, Philippines - Two days before their 40th founding anniversary, New People’s Army (NPA) rebels released yesterday the three policemen they seized in an encounter in Rodriguez, Rizal and held hostage for almost three months.

The guerrillas turned over their captives – Inspector Rex Cuntapay, and PO1s Alberto Umali and Marvin Agasen – to the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) in an undisclosed place in Rizal at around 12:45 p.m. yesterday.

The ICRC, in turn, handed over the three lawmen to Rizal Gov. Casimiro Ynares III, Sen. Jamby Madrigal who chairs the Senate committee on peace, reunification and relocation, and Antipolo City Bishop Gabriel Reyes.

An initial report said Madrigal and Ynares played key roles in the safe release of the three hostages.

It took Madrigal and Ynares almost a month of negotiations to free the policemen, who underwent medical examination and debriefing upon their release.

The NPA tagged the three policemen as “prisoners of war” but decided to release them after finding them not guilty of “crimes against the people.”

Ynares had sought the suspension of military and police rescue operations in Laguna, Rizal and Quezon to pave the way for the safe release of the three policemen.

Ynares said no ransom was paid for the lawmen. “Both parties agreed to sit down and talk,” he said. – With Ed Amoroso, James Mananghaya and Jaime Laude