ZAMBOANGA CITY (Mindanao Examiner / Dec. 3, 2011) – Communist rebels in the southern Philippine province of Zamboanga del Sur seized a group of military intelligence soldiers on Saturday and later freed them after interrogation, but one officer who fled was chased and is believed to have been captured, officials said.
Officials said six intelligence operatives of the army – two officers, two enlisted men, a retired soldier and a government militia – from 102nd Infantry Brigade and 53rd Infantry Battalion were seized by some 40 communist rebels near the village of Guinoman in Bayog town in Zamboanga del Sur province.
The soldiers were in a pick-up truck owned by the Canadian mining firm TVI when rebels flagged down the vehicle, said Army Lieutenant Colonel Randolph Cabangbang, a spokesman for the Western Mindanao Command.
“They were on an intelligence mission in the village of Balabag,” he said, adding the rebels were clad in military uniform and some in media outfit.
He said the rebels confiscated three M16 automatic rifles, one M14 rifle, and five .45-caliber pistols and a 9mm pistol.
“The soldiers were interrogated by rebels and subsequently freed. One officer, escaped from the scene, but was chased by rebels. The officer is still missing, while the five others are now at Guinoman (army) detachment in Diplahan town,” he told the Mindanao Examiner.
Cabangbang said the rebels also burned the truck before escaping towards Pulang Bato village also in Bayog town, but another group fled to nearby Diplahan town.
He said the fate of the missing soldier is unknown. The military did not release the identity and rank of the soldier, but other reports said he is a major assigned with the 102nd Infantry Brigade.
TVI operates a mine site in Mount Canatuan in Zamboanga del Norte’s Siocon town and also has a mining exploration in the town of Bayog.
Muslim rebels had previously attacked TVI workers in the province and killing 17 people and communist insurgents also staged similar attacks targeting mining companies they accused of destroying the environment and for violating the rights of ethnic tribesmen. (Mindanao Examiner)
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