NPAs present proof of life of 2 abducted soldiers
• 21:32 PM Wed Feb 15, 2017
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By:
Edwin O. Fernandez
KORONADAL CITY –
The communist New Peoples’ Army (NPA) operating in southern Mindanao today
released proof of life of two soldiers they seized in Columbio, Sultan Kudarat.In a statement released by
NPA Valentin Palamine Regional Operations Command-Far South Mindanao and signed
by its spokesperson, Ka Dencio Madrigal, assured the military and the
soldiers’ families they are being treated well in the hinterlands of Mindanao.
The proof of life came in
two separate audio-videos with Pfc. Samuel Garay speaking for a minute and a
half and Sgt. Solaiman Calocop who spoke for 1:21. Both were considered as prisoners
of war (POWs) by Mt. Alip Sub-regional operations command.
In the video, Calocop and Garay,
both of 39th Infantry Battalion, assured their families that they
are being treated well by their NPA custodial unit
Madrigal said the NPAs has
been giving the captives lenient treatment but calls for an end to military
operations in Sultan Kudarat in the guise of pursuing peace through peace and development
outreach program, making peasants and indigenous peoples communities as military
garrison.
Mababait po ang mga NPA,
hindi po sila nananakit, sila ang naghahanda ng aming tulugan, sila ang
naglalaba n gaming mga damit, Calocop said. He appealed to his battalion
commander to cease its military operations in Sultan Kudarat.
I appeal to our President
Duterte to help us reunited with our families, Garay said. To my family don’t
worry are treated well, he added in the Cebuano.
Garay and Calocop were on
board a motorbike heading to a detachment in Columbio, Sultan Kudarat when
abducted by NPAs on February 1, hours after the communist movement declared it
cancelled its unilateral ceasefire with the government.
The the day the proof of
life was issued by the NPAs, Jessa Mae Garay and Normalia Calocop, the soldiers
spouses, separately appealed for the immediate and unconditional release as
soon as possible.
Please let me talk to my
husband even for a minute to prove he is still alive, Normalia, a
Maguindanaon, appealed to her husband’s captors in a radio interview.
Calocop, also said in the
video that his captors respect his religion by allowing him to pray five times
a day.
Three-month pregnant Jessa
Mae has appealed to her husband’s captors to free him so he can be with their baby
soon.