Duterte Asks NPA Rebels to Free Abducted Town Chief of Police

Davao City — President-elect Rodrigo Duterte has asked the New People’s Army (NPA) to immediately release Governor Generoso Chief of Police Chief Inspector Arnold Olgachen and offered to go to the mountains to bring back to Davao the police officer.

Duterte revealed he was able to talk over the phone with a certain commander “Queen” and ask why the abduction happened. Queen is said to be an NPA leader operating in Davao Oriental.

“I have talked to Queen, a higher official of the NPA and asked him to release the police officer,” Duterte said. But Duterte said Queen told him he has no knowledge about the attack but assured to look into it.

Ongachen was abducted while a police officer and one civilian were wounded when armed men on board an elf truck and pick-up vehicles attacked the Municipal Hall and the police station on Sunday night.

On Wednesday night, the NPA-Southern Mindanao Regional Command owned up the attack of the Municipal Police Station on Sunday night, claiming it was a popular demand of the people to punish protectors of rampant drug trafficking and land grabbing.

In a statement signed by NPA-SMRC spokesperson Rigoberto Sanchez, the NPA rebel group named Governor Generoso town as an alleged gateway of illegal drug trade in Davao Oriental and claimed the police failed to curb the drugs trading activity.

The NPA also confirmed to have taken the chief of police, Chief Inspector Ongachen, as their Prisoner of War (POW) and seized 11 firearms consisting of six M16 rifles, one M14 rifle, and five pistols.

As proof of an ongoing drug trade, the NPA claimed its fighters even confiscated a sachet of shabu (methamphetamine hydrochloride) from Ongachen following the raid. Ongachen will undergo investigation of possible human rights violations but the rebel group assured the police officer’s good health.

They also accused local officials of failure to act on the prevalence of illegal drugs in the province indicating an unholy alliance with drug syndicates while the 28th Infantry Battalion allegedly sabotaged their planned raid of a “shabu” laboratory in Tibanban, Governor Generoso.

Aside from drugs, the NPA also claimed of complaints from peasants and farmers that policemen have long protected the land grabbing activities of prominent families in the province. (PNA) LAP/LILIAN C. MELLEJOR/LDP