Military eyes breakaway Red faction in Burgos abduction

The military is looking into the possible involvement of a breakaway faction of the Communist Party of the Philippines-New People’s Army (CPP-NPA) as being behind the abduction of activist Jonas Burgos, son of the late press freedom icon Joe Burgos Jr, Army chief Lieutenant General Romeo Tolentino said Tuesday. Tolentino said initial investigation established the names Ramon, Mina and Tabara and "Front Committee 2" as behind Burgos' kidnapping. Asked if the name Tabara was related to that of Arturo Tabara, the late chairman of the Rebolusyonaryong Partido ng Manggagawa/Revolutionary Proletarian Army/Alex Boncayao Brigade, a breakaway faction of the CPP-NPA, Tolentino said: “It seems so." “Actually, we are doing research, study and we came up with a lead. Names like Ramon, Mina, and Front Committee 2 and Tabara are cropping up…All of them may have a connection (in the kidnapping)," said Tolentino. “You know, we have been operating in Bulacan and those are the things that have been told to us by our assets, our men inside, and also the people in those places," the Army chief also said. Tolentino would not elaborate on what the military thinks prompted the RPM-RPA-ABB to kidnap Burgos. “I cannot tell that to you. We are still determining why because those are the lead that we are getting," the Army chief said. Burgos was seized by armed men from a restaurant inside the Ever Gotesco mall along Commonwealth Avenue, Quezon City. The plate number (TAB-194) of the van used in the abduction was traced to a jeep impounded at an Army camp in Norzagaray, Bulacan. For her part, Burgos’ mother, Edita, recently said she is convinced that the military is behind her son’s kidnapping. -GMANews.TV