Vice mayor abducted, then released by suspected NPAs

TANDAG CITY — Three men, armed with hand guns and believed to be members of New People’s Army (NPA) abducted Cortes town Vice Mayor Emmanuel Suarez Tuesday morning in Sitio Lubcon, Barangay Mabahin, Cortes town, Surigao del Sur.

However, Lt. Col. Randolph I. Rojas, commanding officer of the Army’s 36th Infantry Battalion (36th IB) also confirmed that Suarez was released just an hour later.

The incident happened at 7 a.m., when Suarez and his family were about to have breakfast. Three men, brandishing highpowered firearms, entered their house and took the vice mayor with them.

“Dinala sya more than 500 meters away from his house then was returned to his house by the abductors unharmed,” Rojas said.

The Cortes Municipal Police Station (MPS) is still determining the motive of the incident and identity of the perpetrators.

“We cannot speculate on the motive, and we cannot also, say at this time, if the incident was part of the extortion activity forcibly imposed by the NPAs,” Rojas said.

“However, per instruction of Col. Franco Nemesio Gacal, commanding officer of the 402nd Infantry (Stingers) Brigade, we are in hot pursuit operations against the abductors of Vice Mayor Suarez,” the 36th IB commander added.

Chief Supt. Rolando B. Felix, regional director of Northeastern Mindanao Police Regional Office 13 also ordered the commanders of the provincial mobile force and Surigao del Sur police provincial office to assist the 402nd Brigade in the pursuit operation against the NPAs in Cortes town.

On Sunday, the NPAs also released three abducted members of the Civilian Armed Forces Geographical Unit Active Auxiliary (CAA) after a week in captivity in the hinterland areas in Bitaugan, San Miguel town, Surigao del Sur province.