DAVAO CITY – The military on Wednesday confirmed the abduction of an Army sergeant on April 13 in sitio Hulid, Barangay Aragon, Cateel town in Davao Oriental.
Col. Benito de Leon, spokesman of the 10th Infantry Division, identified the abducted soldier as Staff Sergeant Albert Baludoya, detachment commander of the 72nd Infantry Batallion based in the area.
De Leon said Baludoya, wearing a civilian uniform, was riding a motorcycle in the morning of April 13 on his way to the public market when he was stopped in a checkpoint manned by members of the communist New People’s Army (NPA) who were wearing military uniforms.
The victim was then seized and was taken to a still unknown place.
“We are conducting rescue operation as we are still positive that our soldier and his abductors are still somewhere in Davao Oriental,” de Leon said.
He appealed to the rebel abductors to ensure the safety of the victim just as they treated well a wounded rebel leader who was captured following an encounter last January 9 in Loreto town in Agusan del Sur.
De Leon said Leo Magadan Casal alias Kumander Giveheart, secretary of the NPA’s Front Committee 34, is still under their custody as he is still being treated at the Camp Panacan Hospital based in this city. (PNA)
