PRESS RELEASE
Information Bureau
Communist Party of the Philippines

NPA set to release prisoners-of-war tomorrow
August 17, 2004

The Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) today announced the scheduled release tomorrow of two prisoners-of-war held by the NPA Romulo Jallores Command in Bicol, even as it called on the military to strictly comply with the Arroyo government's order to suspend offensive military and police operations (SOMO).

CPP spokesman Gregorio "Ka Roger" Rosal said that as long as the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) and the Philippine National Police (PNP) "strictly comply with the suspension of offensive military and police operations ordered by Malaca�ang and the Department of National Defense, the release of the prisoners-of-war will take place tomorrow."

The NPA has been holding Lt. Ronaldo Fidelino and Pfc. Ronnel Neme�o as POWs since the two soldiers surrendered after an NPA ambush in Tinambac, Camarines Sur in March.

Rosal recalled that agreements forged in negotiations to effect the POWs' safe and orderly release since April were consistently violated by the AFP. Negotiations regained momentum in July, when government representatives agreed to order a suspension of offensive military and police opeerations starting July 27 in Camarines Sur and Albay. The SOMO/SOPO was to have paved for the POWs' release on August 7.

However, the NPA was forced to cancel the release due to ongoing military operations and public refusal of the AFP to comply with the SOMO/SOPO. Up to yesterday, Rosal said that they have received reports of continuing military operations in Lupi, Camarines Sur and Oas, Albay.

He warned that a violation of the order "may lead to another cancellation."

"By releasing the prisoners-of-war, the New People's Army will demonstrate that it is a principled, humane and disciplined revolutionary army contrary to the 'terrorist tagging' by the US and Philippine governments," Rosal said.

He added that the "humane and lenient treatment of NPA prisoners-of-war is the complete opposite of the torture and inhumane treatment of political prisoners who are regarded and treated by the government as common criminals and made to suffer unjustified and prolonged incarceration."

Rosal also said that tomorrow's scheduled release will prove "that the only way to secure the safe and orderly turnover of NPA-held prisoners of war is through negotiating with the NDF and not through adventurous 'rescue operations' by the war-hungry AFP."

Reference:
Anne Buenaventura
Media Officer
Cellphone Number: +63910-240-3553



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