NPAs behind Agusan mining firm raid hunted down

MANILA, philippines - Army troops have launched pursuit operations against members of the New People’s Army (NPA) who raided last week a gold mining firm in Agusan del Sur and took three of its officials as hostages. 

Maj. Eugenio Julio Osias IV, spokesman for the 4th Infantry Division, said the group of NPAs led by Renato Sarayat, alias Commander Friday, is the target of the operation. 

“I cannot divulge the exact place so as not endanger the lives our ground troops,” Osias said.

 Sarayat and around 30 of his men, raided the VPO gold mining firm in Barangay Baguyan, Rosario town owned by Ocite family Thursday.

The three hostages were released Saturday evening amid unconfirmed reports that ransom money and the guns demanded by the insurgents have been given to them.