Snatched DENR personnel might have been mistaken for spies

MANILA, Philippines - Employees of the Environment department who were abducted in Maco, Compostela Valley last Friday by suspected communist rebels were possibly mistaken for military spies as they operated drones to assess a government greening program, a military official said yesterday.

Col. Elmer Quiros, commander of the Army’s 1001st Infantry Brigade, said the environment survey inspectors used drones in assessing an area in Barangay New Leyte in Maco, where they were forcibly taken by suspected members of the New People’s Army (NPA) around 2:30 p.m. on Friday.

Quiros said the rebels could have misconstrued the drone as a military spy plane as the Army often used the aerial vehicle to monitor the location and movement of their enemies.

“I understand that these people from the DENR (Department of Environment and Natural Resources) were already told about being cautious with the use of drones in the area. I think they went ahead with it because they might have used it in other areas that they surveyed and they were not accosted by anyone,” he added.

Report: Only five DENR personnel abducted

Earlier, the 10th Infantry Division identified the abducted DENR personnel as Kendrik Wong, Nico Lasaca, Chris Favila, Jonas Loredo, Tim Sabina and Matthew Cua.

But Armed Forces Eastern Mindanao Command spokesman Cpt. Alberto Caber said in a phone interview yesterday that the military received information from a barangay captain that Cua was not among those who were kidnapped.

“According to the barangay chairman, only five were abducted and Cua was not included. But until now, Cua has not surfaced. We hope he will surface to inform us that he is okay,” Caber said.

“But we cannot discount possibility that there is another kidnap victim who was not identified,” he added.

The victims are still held captive, but their three local guides were reportedly released Friday night.

Caber said authorities still do not have contact with the victims, “but the lines of Maco Vice Mayor Voltaire Rimando is open 24 hours a day.”

Rimando is the head of the crisis committee formed to deal with the kidnapping incident.

Caber said no group has owed up to the abduction, but communist rebels are still being considered as among the possible perpetrators.

“For now, the vice mayor cannot say for certain that the NPA staged the kidnapping. In fairness to the NPA, they have not owed up to it,” Caber said in Filipino.                  – With Ben Serrano