Communist rebels free 4 jail guards

Davao City, Philippines  – The New People’s Army released yesterday afternoon the four Bureau of Jail Management and Penology (BJMP) jail guards they kidnapped last July.

Jail Inspectors Murphy Todyog and Erico Llamasares, Senior Jail Officer 2 Rogelio Begontes, and Jail Officer 1 Rolando Bajuyo Jr. were turned over to representatives of the International Committee on the Red Cross in the remote mountains of Barangay Balite in Magpet, North Cotabato.

The four were brought to the Bishop’s Palace in Kidapawan City, where they were met by North Cotabato Gov. Emmylou “Lala” Taliño-Mendoza, BJMP director Rosendo Dial, local military and police officials and members of their families.

“We thank everyone for trusting the North Cotabato government forces and officials for the smooth release of the four BJMP guards. We hope no more untoward incident will crop up,” said Mendoza, as she welcomed the release of the jail guards.

“This is especially to those who value life and democracy, who show respect and courtesy and those who take responsibility and accountability among others,” she said.

Meanwhile, Armed Forces Eastern Mindanao Command spokesman Col. Leopoldo Galon said administrative charges for infidelity in handling prisoners may also be filed against the four BJMP jail guards.

“The question was why they proceeded to take the trip passing through the area where they were flagged down by the NPA despite repeated warning from different police and Army units even in Cagayan de Oro City down through Bukidnon,” Galon said.

The rebels seized the guards on July 21 during a guerrilla operation to rescue a rebel leader who was being transported to a prison.

Galon said one of the inmates the jail guards were transporting was Dennis Rodenas, a finance officer of the NPA, who was charged for illegal possession of firearms.

The rebels are still holding a town mayor and his two bodyguards who were abducted in August.

The release of the four jail guards came at a time when the military is launching full-scale anti-insurgency operations in all NPA- influenced areas in Mindanao, in response to Monday's raid of three mining firms in Claver, Surigao del Norte.

"Sasagasaan ang dapat sagasaan," Army Maj. Eugenio Julio Osias IV, spokesman for the 4th Infantry Division said.

– With AP, Jaime Laude