Lucena hostage victims identified

CAMP GUILLERMO NAKAR, Lucena City, Philippines – Four civilians were killed during a hostage drama inside a provincial bus that ensued after suspected New People’s Army rebels were spotted by policemen inside the vehicle.

Southern Luzon Command (Solcom) spokesperson Col. Generoso Bolina said initial reports showed that around 1:50 p.m. last Wednesday, policemen in San Francisco, Quezon were conducting a checkpoint when they spotted some supposed communist rebels on board the RR provincial bus with body number 203588 and subsequently opened fire on them.

The alleged rebels initially directed the bus driver to maneuver the vehicle in order to escape the pursuing government forces but later held hostage the passengers.

Combined elements of the police and the military then chased the passenger bus for about an hour until they reached the town of Catanauan where a V-150 light tank was positioned by the 74th Infantry Battalion to block the road.

The rebels together with some hostages tried but failed to pass through the military blockade.

A firefight then ensued, killing four civilians namely bus conductor Joel Cavanes, 36; Teodora Tolentino, 52; Joely Penaverde, 43 and Cherry Gil Maaliw, 23.

The victims were residents of Gumaca, San Francisco and Sariaya towns, respectively.

Further, two civilians were reportedly wounded and were immediately brought to the nearest hospital.

Two communist rebels were also captured while two others managed to escape.

One high-powered firearm was recovered from the rebels.

The Second Infantry Division believes that the NPA’s foiled attack in San Francisco town is a desperate attempt to project that they are still a force to reckon with.

“The NPA’s evil plans will not succeed. The PNP and the AFP in the Southern Tagalog Region have an existing system of coordination to thwart incidents similar to this,” the division said.

There were conflicting reports, however, that the alleged NPA rebels were not involved in the firefight but a group of highway robbers who were trying to evade arrest. – With AP