MANILA, Philippines (UPDATED) – Interior and Local Government Secretary Manuel Roxas II may find himself inside a New People’s Army camp on Tuesday, July 29, when he flies to Mindanao to personally “ensure the release” of 4 police personnel captured by the communist rebels.

In a statement, Roxas said the specific details of the release were still being finalized by negotiators from the government and the National Democratic Front (NDF).

But he said: “Kung kinakailangang pumasok sa kampo ng NPA (New People’s Army), gagawin natin para masiguro lang na makukuha nating ligtas ang mga pulis na hawak nila ngayon.” (If I need to go inside an NPA camp, I’ll do it just to make sure our police will be saved.)

On July 10, the NPA attacked the Alegria Municipal Police Station in Surigao del Norte, capturing 4 cops in the process. A few days later, the communist rebels declared the 4 cops “prisoners of war.”

The police personnel are: Police Officer 3 Vic Calubag Concon, PO1 Rey O’niel Morales, PO1 Joen Zabala, and PO1 Edito Roquino.

The 4 were captured by the NPA while they were on their way to respond to assist the police station.

Ceasefire declared

The DILG earlier announced that the NPA would release the 4 cops in exchange for a 5-day ceasefire in 6 Surigao del Norte towns. The group originally wanted a 10-day ceasefire in Surigao City and 14 Surigao del Norte municipalities.

Both the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) and the NDF announced the suspension of military operations or a ceasefire in Surigao del Norte and Agusan del Norte.

Towns covered by the 5-day ceasefire are:

• Claver
• Gigaquit
• Bacuag
• Placer
• Tubod
• Alegria
• Kitcharao
• Jabonga
• Santiago

“This ceasefire order shall entail the temporary cessation of any military actions by concerned NPA units against any unit or individual members of the APF-PNP-CAFGU in the aforementioned areas,” said NDF in a statement.

In a separate statement, the AFP said its personnel are not allowed to “conduct deliberate offensive operations against the NPA except on movements or activities aimed to support the civil authorities, government instrumentalities and other agencies in promoting peace, development and humanitarian assistance programs.”

The NDF, however, said that NPA units “maintain its active-defense mode… must not hesitate to defend its own forces and the masses within the area where never a serious breach occurs.” The ceasefire began noon of Sunday, July 27 and will end noon of Friday, August 1. 

All NPA units were also ordered to “relocated to a relatively secure location” after the ceasefire as preparation for “another wave of brutal attacks by enemy forces.”

The AFP, meanwhile, said the NPA are responsible for around 20 cases kidnappings and abductions in the Eastern Mindanao area. – Rappler.com