ZAMBOANGA CITY, 16 October 2007 — Communist rebels yesterday said they were holding a government soldier and two others in the southern Philippinesas prisoners of war (POWs).
A spokesman of the New People’s Army (NPA) in the Southern Mindanao region said the trio — army Sgt. Raul Reyes and militiamen Glorieto Mahumas and Ruddy Villaflor — are being investigated for war crimes and human rights violations in Compostela Valley province.
“We are holding the trio as prisoners of war. As they are part of the Philippine government’s war machinery, they are facing preliminary investigations for the complaints filed against them that may constitute war crimes and violations against International Humanitarian Law and against civilians in Montevista, Compostela Valley Province,” said the spokesman using the name Aris Francisco.
NPA guerrillas seized the three men on Oct. 7 during a raid on an army outpost headed by Reyes in Montevista town. The rebels also carted away 16 assorted automatic weapons, Francisco said.
Francisco said Mahumas and Villaflor, who double as village officials, had been active in paramilitary recruitment and instrumental in putting up military detachments in the Montevista villages.
The spokesman said the three captives were being treated well by their guards in accordance to their status as a prisoners of war.
“The NPA’s track record in handling prisoners of war is proven just and humane contrary to the mercenary AFP (Armed Forces of the Philippines) that subjects their captives to physical and mental torture, intimidation, punishment, sexual abuse, inhumane treatment and murder,” he said.
