Troops resume massive search and rescue operations for 4 abducted cops

BUTUAN CITY – Battle-ready security forces from the Philippine National Police (PNP) and Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) yesterday resumed their massive search and rescue operations in Surigao del Norte and Surigao del Sur for four police officers and a non-uniformed personnel (NUP) abducted recently by the New People’s Army (NPA).

Troops from the police regional and provincial mobile forces of Northeastern Mindanao Police Regional Office 13 (PRO 13) and Army’s 4th Infantry (Diamond) Division (4th ID) were deployed to beef up pursuing government forces in Malimono town, Surigao del Norte, and Carmen town, Surigao del Sur, to rescue the abducted policemen and NUP there.

The resumption of the search and rescue operations took place after President Duterte lifted the government’s unilateral ceasefire with the Communist Party of the Philippines New People’s Army (CPP-NPA) last Saturday.

President Duterte ordered government forces to resume

their offensive operations against the communist rebels after the CPP-NPA failed to declare its own ceasefire.

The subject of the massive search and rescue operations are Senior Police Officer 3 Santiago B. Lamanilao, assigned at the Surigao City Police Station; Police Officer 3 Jayroll H. Bagayas, and PO2 Caleb C. Sinaca, both assigned to the Malimono Municipal Police Station (MPS); NUP Rodrigo T. Angob, who works in the same police station; and PO1 Richard V. Yu, 32, assigned to the Carmen MPS, in Carmen, Surigao del Sur. Bagayas, Sinaca, and Angob were abducted on July 24, 2016, while Yu was seized last July 5.

The NPA, the armed wing of the CPP-NDF, claimed responsibility for the abductions.

Meanwhile, soldiers from the 39th Infantry Battalion discovered last Monday an improvised explosive device (IED) weighting about eight kilograms planted along the riverbank in Barangay Sinoron, Sta. Cruz, Davao del Sur.

In a press statement, Capt. Rhyan B. Batchar, public affairs chief of the 10th Infantry Division, said the IED was believed to have been planted by NPA’s Guerrilla Front 51 of the Southern Mindanao Regional Committee (SMRC).

A civilian, whose identity was withheld, led the military to the IED.

“He saved not only the lives of our soldiers but the unwary civilians that might be victimized by the wanton laying of IED by the NPAs,” Maj. Gen. Rafael Valencia, 10ID commander, said in a statement.

The Eastern Mindanao Command (Eastmincom) ordered all its units within its area of responsibility to be on high alert after President Duterte lifted the government’s unilateral ceasefire.

Eastmincom spokesperson Maj. Ezra Balagtey said all units have been placed on high alert against the NPA rebels.

Balagtey also denied allegations of the CPP that the military did not follow the unilateral ceasefire issued by Duterte. (With a report from Antonio Colina)