NPAs release 2 POW in Surigao del Norte
CAMP RAFAEL C. RODRIGUEZ, Butuan City — After 37 days in captivity, two policemen were finally released on Wednesday afternoon by the custodial force of the New People’s Army (NPA), armed wing of the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP).
They were identified as PO2 Jhon Paul M. Doverte and PO2 Alfredo L. Degamon Jr., both assigned at Placer Municipal Police Station (MPS) in Placer town, Surigao del Norte province.
The two were presented by top regional commanders of the Philippine National Police (PNP) and Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) led by PRO 13 Regional Director Chief Supt. Noli A. Romana and 402nd Infantry (Stingers) Brigade commander Brig. Gen. Nemesio Gacal during a press conference at the PRO 13 regional headquarters here late Wednesday afternoon.
The two police officers were released at 1:30 p.m. in Sitio Tiltilan, Barangay Mahanob, Gigaquit, Surigao del Norte by the custodial force of guerrillaFront Committee 16 to the third party facilitator organized by the provincial and municipal crisis management committees (CMCs).
The released policemen were accompanied by some local officials from Surigao del Norte, their families, and members of the third party facilitator.
“Thank you God we are safe now and to all those who helped secure our release,” said PO2 Degamon.
The NPA guerrilla-Front Committee 16, in a separate statement, said the release of the two prisoners of war (POW) was a gesture of goodwill to promote the peace talks between the government and the National Democratic Front of the Philippines (NDFP).
The release, it added, was also in response to the appeal of their respective families.
The custodial force of guerrilla-front Committee 16 called for a suspension of military and police operations for the safe release of the abducted policemen in the towns of Claver, Gigaquit, Bacuag and Placer, all in Surigao del Norte. The stand-down reportedly started Monday until Thursday.
However, field unit commanders of the police and military said combat operations against the NPAs are still ongoing.
“Actually, we did not stop our operation against the NPA terrorists in targeted areas in some parts of the region,” said PRO 13 regional spokesperson Chief Inspector Renel E. Serrano.
“However, we are grateful that they (NPAs) already released our policemen,” he added.
The two policemen were supposed to be released last Dec. 5 but it did not push through because the military and police did not heed the call of the NPA for a stand-down.
The two cops were abducted while manning their assigned police box along the Maharlika national highway in Barangay Bad-as, Placer, Surigao del Norte on Nov. 13, 2017.
Chief Supt. Romana on Thursday disclosed that PRO 13 has filed a case against the NPA terrorist leaders and members responsible for the kidnapping of the two policemen.
Prior to the kidnapping, PO2 Degamon was set to marry his girlfriend in January 2018 while PO2 Doverte’s wife was four months pregnant.
The two are currently undergoing debriefing and medical examination.
Romana, during the same press briefing condemned in the strongest manner the kidnapping which he called a “disrespect not only to the police officers who maintain peace and order but also to the people who benefit from the services provided by the law enforcers.”
The region’s police chief reminded all policemen in various parts of the region to be extra vigilant.