Local church prays for seized soldiers' release

The Catholic Church in a town in Compostela Valley province in southern Philippines has started offering prayers and Masses for the release of four soldiers abducted by communist New People's Army last month. Fr. Christopher Segura Jr., parish priest of San Roque parish in Mawab town, said at least 67 basic ecclesial communities (BEC) are praying for the soldiers. "It has been a policy that in situations like this the Church responds immediately although we won’t be imposing anything on either the government or (the rebels)," Segura said in an article posted Tuesday night on the Union of Catholic Asan News website. "We are hoping this will be over soon. The families have already suffered much. We pray that God will change the hearts of those involved in the kidnapping," he added. Segura added that the wives of Army corporals Marcial Bawagan, Ariel Asumo and Eduardo Alcala and militiaman Victor Pitogo had sought help from the Church. The soldiers' relatives asked the Church to help “free their husbands and also free them from being imprisoned in grief and worry," he added. He said he brought the women to the BEC leaders who prayed for them. Segura said he has asked his parishioners to appeal to their friends among the rebels "to heed the cries of the families." He said the BECs will hold prayer vigils until the soldiers are freed. Proof of life The NPA, which abducted the soldiers and the militiaman on May 12, said the soldiers were linked to human rights violations. Recently, the outlawed group released a video clip to local television stations to show that the soldiers were still alive. Meanwhile in Bayugan City in Agusan del Sur province, 20 suspected insurgents burned two trucks doing hauling works to local oil palm firm Sodaco Corporation at Sitio Thankiu, Purok 8, Barangay Sta.Teresita on Tuesday morning. Police said the trucks were owned by SODACO Corporation and Federico Devino. Pursuit operations have since been launched against the rebels. — with Ben Serrano/RSJ, GMANews.TV