Rebels free 4 soldiers

BUTUAN CITY, Philippines – Four Army soldiers seized by New People’s Army (NPA) rebels in Agusan del Norte and Agusan del Sur were released on Tuesday.

Davao City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte witnessed the turnover of the soldiers in Barangay Balit in San Luis town in Agusan del Sur around 4 p.m. 

Released were Pvt. First Class Diven Tawide, Pfc. Glenn Austria and Cpls.  Jawad Awadi and Roy Perez.

 Tawide and Austria were seized after an encounter in Barangay Olave in Buenavista town on April 3 while Awadi and Perez were taken at a rebel “checkpoint” in Esperanza town last month.

Omar Ibarra of the NPA’s Julito Tero Command said religious leaders helped facilitate the release of the soldiers. 

The mayors of Buenavista, Agusan del Norte and San Luis, Agusan del Sur as well as the family members of the kidnapped soldiers were present during the turnover.