Soldiers block court order on 4 suspected rebels

CEBU — Soldiers blocked the other day a court sheriff bearing an order for the military to free four suspected New People’s Army (NPA) rebels captured last week.

The soldiers refused to let sheriff Rogelio Roble through the gates of the 78th Infantry Battalion headquarters in Barangay Damolo in Sogod town, citing orders from superior officers not to let outsiders in.

Consequently, Roble failed to serve the court order for the military to release suspected rebels Nestor Lumbab, Elben Colminares, Edgar Duran and Noel Molde.

Roble also failed to personally check the conditions of the four.

But a 78th IB officer, Maj. Asilo Medija, claimed the suspected rebels were actually released hours earlier upon their own request.

It was not clear why the military, if ever, decided to release the four when they were supposed to be members of the NPA.

The court order had directed 78th IB commander Jonas Sumagaysay to release the rebel suspects.

Sumagaysay earlier figured in a controversy when he allegedly threatened to shoot anyone trying to visit the suspected rebels.

Roble was accompanied by members of militant groups who wanted to check on the condition of the four men.

One of those who came with Roble was lawyer Alfonso Cinco who challenged the soldiers at the gate to show proof that the four suspected rebels had really gone home.

Cinco insisted he wanted to talk to higher officials but a message relayed by radio from inside the camp said Medija, the assistant commander, was not available.

Cinco threatened to cite Sumagaysay and Medija with indirect contempt.

"We will seek the full assistance of the court to impose the will of the law," he said.

The court has given Sumagaysay and Medija 10 days to explain their failure to present to the court the four suspects last Friday.

Roble and the militant groups left after an hour of waiting at the gates.

Making himself available to reporters later, Medija said he was only complying with instructions from higher headquarters not to let the group enter the camp for security reasons.

Sumagaysay was not in the camp and reporters learned later that he was in Cebu City.

Medija insisted the court order no longer had any effect since the four suspects had been freed. — Freeman News Service