Families of captive soldiers seek truce

AFTER the New People’s Army (NPA) voiced its plans to free two soldiers who were captured last August 22 in Bukidnon, families of Jerrel Yorong and Marnel Cinches, have asked the government to suspend its military and police operations for the smooth turnover of the captives.

Yorong’s sister Genieve Yorong-Tagadiad and Cinches’s aunt Ana Curita Tare told reporters Thursday afternoon the freedom of the captives can only be fully achieved if ceasefire will be declared in time of their release.

“On behalf of the family, we cordially ask for the agreement of both parties so that our loved ones will be released as soon as possible,” Tagadiad said.

“We call the NPAs to free my nephew since we’ve already missed him so much,” Tare said.

In a press statement sent to Sun*Star Cagayan de Oro, the Maoist rebel group demanded that the military and police cease from their operations in some parts of Bukidnon and Misamis Oriental.
Major Christian Uy, Philippine Army’s 4th Infantry Division (4ID) spokesperson, previously told this paper that the Crisis Management Committee (CMC) in Bukidnon is still negotiating with the communist group for the release of the captive soldiers.

“There is an ongoing negotiation between the CMC and the NPA. Whatever the CMC tells us, we follow,” Uy said.

The NPA-North Central Mindanao Region (NCMR) has asked for the suspension of offensive military operations (Somo) and suspension of offensive police operations (Sopo) for 10 days.

The areas they wanted the Somo and Sopo to be enforced will cover the towns of San Fernando, Cabanglasan, Impasug-ong, Manolo Fortich, Malitbog, and Malaybalay City, all in Bukidnon as well as towns of Claveria and Balingasag in Misamis Oriental where there is strong presence of the army.

Zubiri tapped to negotiate

Bukidnon governor Jose Maria Zubiri Jr. said in a television interview that the NPA has already tapped him to be the chief negotiator in the release of Yorong and Cinches.

He added that he is more than willing to help and would just wait for the military’s approval.

Yorong and Cinches were captured by four armed insurgents in Barangay Bontongon in Impasug-ong town last August 22, 2014 while extending basic services to the people in the hinter communities of the town.

Lieutenant Norman Tagros, civil military operations officer of the 8th Infantry Battalion, told this paper in a previous interview that the captives are assigned under the Community Organizing for Peace Development (COPD) in Bontongon.

Of the rebels’ motives, Uy maintained: “They really wanted us to stop our delivery of basic services to the people of Barangay Buntongan, [Impasug-ong town in Bukidnon]. They want to disrupt our bayanihan efforts in the area,” he said.

In a Youtube video posted days after their capture, Yorong and Cinches said they are safe and being taken good care of.

Senator Teofisto Guingona III, chair of the committee on peace and order, said in a phone interview that as a Mindanaoan and an advocate of peace, he has high hopes of the immediate release of the soldiers.

Meanwhile, Iglesia Filipina Independiente (IFI) Bishop Felixberto Calang of the Ecumenical Bishops Forum told reporters Thursday they have been in talks with Roman Catholic Archbishop Antonio Ledesma and Bukidnon governor Jose Maria R. Zubiri Jr. to advance to the national government their support to the families.

“We are willing to help the families in whatever capacity we can for the safe release of the prisoners-of-war,” Calang said.

He added: “It won’t be difficult to release them since their custodian declared to release their captives. On the part of the military, we have to persistently ask them to suspend their operations because life is precious.”