Church, rights groups seek release of bishop, NDFP consultant Church leaders and human rights groups in Northern Mindanao on Tuesday joined the Iglesia Filipina Independiente (IFI) clergy in condemning the arrest and detention of IFI Bishop Carlos Morales, along with a consultant of the National Democratic Front of the Philippines
(NDFP), by a joint police and military team in Ozamiz City last week. In a statement, the Christian Conference of Asia (CCA) called the apprehension of Morales as “appalling” and “a violation of human rights.” The CCA is an ecumenical organization represent-
ing 15 national councils and over 100 churches in Southeast Asia and elsewhere in the region. Morales was detained after Rommel Salinas, who was identified as an NDFP consultant and a top commander of the New People’s Army (NPA), was arrested by authorities in Barangay
Gango, Ozamiz last Friday, May 12. Under the Joint Agreement on Safety and Immunity Guarantees (Jasig), Salinas, as a member of the NDF peace negotiating panel, was entitled to protection, the report said. During initial investigation, Morales admitted that
he was traveling with his wife Maria Teofilina, driver Isadome Dalid and Salinas, who just hitched a ride. The bishop said the police officers and military personnel manning the checkpoint flagged down their vehicle and arrested Salinas by virtue of a warrant of arrest.
The police freed Morales’ wife and Dalid. The bishop and Salinas were put behind bars and are now facing charges of illegal possession of firearms and ammunition. Dr. Mathews George Chunakara, CCA general secretary, said “it is unfortunate that [Morales] See CHURCH, page 7
MINDANAO DAILY T H E P U RV E YO R O F T R U T H , J U S T I C E , A N D D E V E LO P M E N T
Volume VI, No. 286
Website: www.mindanaodailynews.com
Wednesday
May 17, 2017
P15.00
Cop killed in NPA raid By CHRIS V. PANGANIBAN, Contributing Editor
S
AN Francisco, Agusan del Sur--A rookie police officer was killed in a Tuesday dawn attack by communist rebels at a police patrol base along the national highway in Tabon-tabon village in Sibagat town.
Police Officer 1 Charmaine Cañete, 23, a resident of Sibagat, expired while being treated at the Butuan City Medical Center after he sustained multiple gunshot wounds. Police reports said around 20 guerillas of the New People’s Army Front 20 stormed the highway
checkpoint. But Elmer Luzon, General manager of the San Francisco Water District who was driving past the area a few minutes when the incident took place, said investigators should also look into other angles since he saw other policemen casually sitting down as if nothing happened even as the dead young policeman was already lying dead on the ground.
Chief Inspector Bonifacio Estrella, deputy chief of Agusan del Sur Public Safety C ompany, however, clarified Cañete’s colleagues were actually in full alert position to safeguard their detachment from any further attack but luckily the raiding NPA rebels did not pursue it. He said Cañete was the first to react when he went down from their elevated quarters after hearing the
noise of howling dogs only to be gunned down by the assailants already in firing position. “The rebels were in a failed position since they did not realize that the other police troopers were well-positioned upstairs ready to fire back at them the moment the rebels will pursue the attack,” Estrella said. He admired Cañete as a brave young police officer
who have been already battle-tested even in his young career that he was the main gunner of an earlier NPA attack in Rosario town early this year. A joint hot pursuit operation was conducted by the police and the Army’s Special Forces. Cañete is a member of Agusan del Sur Public Safety Company who joined the police force last year.
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