Police: Surigao mayor could have been abducted for nixing NPA demand

The mayor of Lingig, Surigao del Sur, could have been abducted because of his refusal to give in to a certain demand by communist rebels during the 2010 elections, a police official said Monday. This is one of two motives that authorities are looking into concerning the abduction of Lingig Mayor Henry Dano, said Caraga Region Police Regional head Chief Superintendent Reynaldo Rafal in an interview. Rafal did not disclose what the Communist Party of the Philippines-New People's Army (CPP-NPA) possibly demanded. "I'm not at liberty to say kasi nu’ng mga panahong yan ay hindi pa ako d’yan. Ikalawa, hindi natin ma-confirm kasi hindi mismo si mayor ang ating nakakausap. Ito'y mga sabi sabi lang ng mga taong malapit sa kanya," Rafal said. "Meron din kasing mga anggulong pulitika rin. Normal ‘yan sa eryang ‘yan," the police official explained. On Saturday, Malacañang expressed confidence that the local crisis committee set up by provincial officials will resolve the abduction of Dano. Efforts to rescue the mayor have resulted in at least one casualty and four injuries, said reports reaching the Philippine Army headquarters. Along with Dano, two military escorts were also abducted early Saturday morning by suspected CPP-NPA members. — RSJ, GMA News