NPA holding 3 men asking for P25M, says gov

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Philippine Daily Inquirer

TAGUM CITY—New People’s Army rebels holding three men they earlier took as hostages from a mining company in Rosario, Agusan del Sur, on Thursday were asking money or guns, officials said on Friday.

Agusan del Sur Vice Gov. Santiago Cane Jr. told the Inquirer by phone that the rebels wanted P25 million in exchange for the freedom of Christopher Ocite, operations manager of VPO Mining; Gani Altaya, assistant operations manager; and Joel Jayuma, the firm’s security chief.

The three men were inside the compound of VPO Mining, which the Ocite family owns, in Barangay Bayugan 3 when about 30 rebels arrived early Thursday.

Disguised

“The (rebels) disguised as soldiers and pretended to conduct an inspection at the mining firm, before announcing the raid,” Supt. Martin Gamba, spokesperson of the Caraga regional police office, said.

He said the rebels then disarmed the security personnel of the mining company and fled with Ocite, Altaya and Jayuma.

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