NEW People’s Army (NPA) rebels seized two government security personnel at a checkpoint set-up by the rebels in a remote village in Campostela Valley that ravage by Typhoon Pablo last month, police reports said.
Initial reports at the PNP national operations center in Camp Crame said that the incident took place at around 9:30am Thursday at Laak town in Campostela Valley that was recently hit by typhoon.
The reports named the government security personnel held by the rebels as PO1 Ruel Pasion of San Isidro, Davao del Norte and Pfc Jezreel Culango, from an army unit based also in San Isidro.
At least 30 heavily armed communist rebels, 12 of them wearing military uniforms, had set-up a checkpoint at around 9am Sitio Mangob, Brgy. Imelda, Laak town, the reports said.
The rebels said that the two government security personnel were on their way to Brgy. Mangloy when they passed the rebel controlled checkpoint, the reports said.
The rebels then headed towards the direction of Sitio Tugpahan also in the same village prompting government troops to launched pursuit operations, the reports said.
The incident took place a day after a month long suspension of military offensive (SOMO) against communist rebels expired, the reports added.