NPA takes Manero brother

DAVAO CITY – Communist New People’s Army (NPA) rebels last Sunday kidnapped but later released Rafael Lorenzo, manager of a plantation owned by the Lorenzo clan, but held on to a brother of priest killer Norberto Manero.

Southern Mindanao regional police director Chief Superintendent Andres Caro II said Lorenzo was released while security aide, retired Army Sgt. Jose Manero, brother of convicted priest killer Norberto Manero, remained in rebel custody.

Caro said Lorenzo, Manero and other farm employees were at the Umbao Lorenzo plantation in Sitio Lorenzo, Barangay Pangyan, Calinan District in Davao City, at around 10:30 a.m. last Sunday when 12 armed NPA guerrillas led by Leonardo Pitao, alias Commander Parago, accosted them.

The rebels, reportedly wearing military camouflage uniforms with Task Force Davao insignia, brought Lorenzo and his group back to the plantation office where two security guards were disarmed.

The guerrillas took one shotgun, a .38 caliber revolver, one .45 caliber pistol, three Garand rifles and five handheld radio sets.

Caro said the rebels later brought Lorenzo and Manero to nearby Barangay Dalagdag. Lorenzo was released while Manero remained in rebel custody.

Sources said the abduction of Manero is reportedly part of the rebels’ efforts to undermine the plan of the government to intensify anti-insurgency operations in the area. The military is allegedly planning to tap Manero and his brother Norberto to help in the campaign against the NPA rebels.

Norberto, a former militiaman, was convicted of the murder of Italian priest Fr. Tulio Favali in 1985 and sentenced to life in prison. The prisoner’s sentence was commuted and he was released last January.

Military officials had advised Norberto to remain calm and stop any plans to rescue his brother from his abductors.

The ex-convict is now residing in a farm in Polomolok, South Cotabato.

Norberto’s wife Evelyn told Bombo Radyo in Koronadal City that a military official advised her husband “to stay put” and let the military rescue his younger brother.

“My husband was told by the military to remain calm because they are doing their best to rescue his younger brother from the hands of the NPA rebels who abducted him,” Evelyn said.

Major Rodrigo Susmena, spokesman for the Armed Forces of the Philippines Eastern Mindanao Command, said the troops of the Army’s 10th Infantry Battalion (IB) are now tracking down the NPA rebels that have been harassing local businessmen as part of their extortion activities in Davao.

The Lorenzo clan owns one of the largest plantations in Mindanao. - With Ramil Bajo