COTABATO CITY, Philippines (Xinhua) - Leftist rebels abducted five soldiers in Davao, police said today.
The soldiers from the 66th Infantry Battalion were aboard two motorbikes heading to Mapula village in Davao city when they were kidnapped Monday afternoon by members of the New People's Army ( NPA).
A junior military official, a certain Lt. Canitan, who was with the victims, managed to escape and report the incident, police said.
The abductors were led by Ryan Pitao, son of Leoncio Pitao, head of the NPA's Pulang Bagani Command.