NPA, MILF to free 7 Lanao captives

The central leadership of the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) has announced that six Army soldiers and a militiaman whom it claimed are being jointly held captive by its armed wing, the New People’s Army (NPA), and Moro secessionist rebels in Mindanao will soon be released.

The CPP said the government troopers are being held by the NPA and the Bangsamoro Islamic Armed Forces (BIAF), armed wing of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF), somewhere in Lanao del Norte.

The CPP-NPA, together with its underground political umbrella, the National Democratic Front (NDF), has a "standing tactical alliance" with the MILF-BIAF.

The six soldiers being held as "prisoners of war," as the CPP described them, were identified as Carlito Tabilao, Angelito Reyes, Eboy Tabelero, Juanito Waga, Margarito Canete and a certain Oniona.

They were taken hostage last March 6 after a clash with MILF-BIAF guerrillas in Barangay Tingin-Tinginin in Balo-i, Lanao del Norte.

At least 11 people were killed during the firefight, according to reports.

The CPP said the release of the six soldiers and the government militiaman was agreed upon during a recent meeting of MILF military chieftain Al Haj Murad, CPP Mindanao Commission head Allan Juanito and NDF-Mindanao spokesman Jorge Madlos with 15 Catholic bishops and Muslim ulamas (religious leaders).

"The safe release of the NPA and MILF prisoners of war is a display of our sincerity in our desire for peace," the CPP said.

It said the MILF is currently preparing the captured government troopers’ "release documents," while the NPA in Mindanao is waiting for "official confirmation" from the CPP leadership.