
DAVAO CITY (Mindanao Examiner / Mar. 25, 2013) – Palalayain na umano ng New People’s Army ang bihag nitong parak sa Compostela Valley province matapos na umapela ang pamilya nito at iba pang mga grupo sa Mindanao.
Bihag ng mga rebelde si Police Officer 3 Ruben Magno Nojapa, Jr., matapos itong masakote nuong Marso 18 sa isang NPA checkpoint sa bayan ng Nabunturan. Nakatakas naman ang kasamang parak nitong si Senior Police Officer 2 Randy Masambo.
Mismong ang National Democratic Front, ang tumatayong political wing ng Communist Party of the Philippines, ang naglabas ng kautusan sa NPA na palayain na ang bihag.
“The release decision was based on purely humanitarian grounds in the wake of the appeal made by Nojapa’s family and peace advocates that have expressed support for a negotiated settlement within the bounds of international humanitarian law,” pahayag pa ni Rubi del Mundo, ang tagapagsalita ng NPA sa Southern Mindanao.
Inamin rin ni Del Mundo na inimbestigahan ng NPA ang parak upang malaman kung maypagkakasala ito sa publiko, ngunit wala naman nakita ang rebeldeng grupo upang pahabain pa ang pagkakabihag nito.
“After Nojapa’s capture, he was investigated by the responsible organ of the NPA custodial force and no sufficient evidence was established to warrant his prosecution for serious crimes committed against the Filipino people and the revolutionary movement,” wika ni Del Mundo.
“The prisoner’s order of release is an exercise of the political power and authority of the People’s Democratic Government. It is in compliance with the NDFP’s long-standing policy of lenient treatment of prisoners of war and its Declaration of Undertaking to Apply the Provisions of the 1949 Geneva Conventions and Protocol I and the Comprehensive Agreement on Respect for Human Rights and International Humanitarian Law.”
Nanawagan rin si Del Mundo sa militar na itigil ang opensiba nito sa Compostela Valley upang matiyak ang kaligtasan ng bihag sa kanyang paglaya, ngunit tikom naman ang bibig ng mga opisyal sa pahayag ng NPA. (Mindanao Examiner)