Suspected NPA rebels abduct soldier in Comval

MANILA, Philippines – The Philippine Army on Wednesday said that an undetermined number of suspected New People’s Army (NPA) rebels abducted a young solider in Compostela Valley province Tuesday. In a statement, the Army said Private Ronnie Trinidad of the 66th Infantry Battalion was seized by the suspected rebels around 8 a.m. at Sitio Bongloy in Pagsabangan village in New Bataan town. The kidnappers, who the Army said might be from the NPA’s Guerilla Front 25 (GF 25), flagged down the vehicle that Trinidad was riding, together with Corporal Japeth Labid and other civilians. The Army said that the civilian passengers advised Trinidad and Labid to get off and hide. The two soldiers were able to leave the vehicle and run, but the abductors caught up with Trinidad. Lieutenant Colonel Manuel Sequitin, head of the 66th Infantry Battalion, had ordered his men to conduct military operations to rescue Trinidad. For his part, 10th Infantry Division commander Major General Reynaldo Mapagu said the abduction of Trinidad smacked of NPA’s “desperation." "This is a desperate move of the NPA to project that they are still active. I would rather encourage the remaining members of GF 25 to surrender and return to mainstream society like what their comrades did," Mapagu said. Mapagu likewise assured Trinidad’s family that the young soldier would be rescued even as he stressed that the government’s no-ransom policy would be implemented. - Sophia Dedace, GMANews.TV