NPA urged: Free 2 Compostela cops

DAVAO CITY – Relatives of two Compostela Valley policemen held captive by the New People’s Army (NPA) are appealing for their immediate release.

Senior Superintendent Ronald de la Rosa, Compostela Valley police director, said the communist rebels under the NPA’s Pulang Bagani Command 5 are still holding captive PO3 Gerry Realino and Raymund Quinsang, both of the Mt. Diwalwal police sub-station.

The two policemen were abducted while the rebels were conducting a checkpoint along the road leading to the gold-rush site on Mt. Diwalwal.

Compostela Valley Gov. Arthur Uy also appealed to the rebels to free Realino and Quinsang.

“I am appealing to the rebels that the two be released as soon as possible for humanitarian reasons. They have families to attend to,” Uy said.

Uy said the only fault of the two captives is that they happened to be policemen.

“That is their work. They are policemen. And I hope the rebels would release the two captives soon,” he added.

Local religious leaders and members of non-government organizations in Compostela Valley have also sought the safe release of Realino and Quinsang, who were actually snatched by the attacking rebels together with two other policemen who they released just a few hours after seizing them in Barangay Onguyan.

Aside from snatching the policemen, the rebels also burned a mini-dump truck of the National Mining Resources Development Corp.