CPP-NPA releases 4 more abducted cops

The Communist Party of the Philippines-New People's Army (CPP-NPA) yesterday released four members of the Philippine National Police, who were kidnapped in Surigao City last month.

Chief Inspector Charity Galvez of the Police Regional Office 13 (Caraga) said the released personnel were Senior Police Officer 3 Santiago Lamanilao, Police Officer 3 Jayroll Bagayas, Police Officer 2 Caleb Sinaca and civilian police employee Rodrigo Angub.

On Friday morning, the CPP-NPA also released Police Officer 1 Richard Yu in Tandag City, Surigao del Sur.

"Ang ating kapulisan ay nagpapasalamat sa Surigao Crisis Management Committee

at sa 3rd party facilitators sa kanilang tulong upang mapalaya ang tatlong pulis at isang civilian employee ng PNP..." Galvez said in a statement.

She said the four PNP personnel are now undergoing

medical checkups. "Umaasa ang PNP na ang ganitong pag-kidnap sa ating kapulisan ay hindi na muling mangyayari pa sapagkat ang

kidnapping ay labag sa batas at karapatang pantao lalonglalo na sa mga pulis sa lokalidad na naglilingkod sa taong bayan," Galvez added.

The release came after the Philippine government and the National Democratic Front (NDF) signed an indefinite ceasefire agreement as formal talks ended in Oslo, Norway on Friday.

Before the formal talks resumed in Oslo last August 22, the CPP-NPA announced that it will release the five PNP personnel.

Yu was kidnapped in Surigao del Sur last July 5 while Sinaca, Bagayas, Angob and Lamanilao were taken by the rebels last July 24 in Surigao City.

The CPP-NPA had said that the five police personnel will be released as "goodwill" for the resumption of the formal peace talks in Oslo.