DAVAO CITY — The New People’s Army has issued an open letter requesting Mayor Rodrigo Duterte to facilitate the turnover of P25,000 which was found during the capture of Loreto town mayor Dario Otaza to his family.
Otaza and his son Daryl were taken on October 19 in their residence in Butuan City by members of the NPA who disguised themselves as National Bureau of Investigation agents.
The NPA in its statement said the Otazas have “a standing order of capital punishment after the people’s court convicted them for masterminding and directly participating in the crimes of multiple murder, frustrated murder, torture, against civilians, forced recruitment of Lumads into paramilitary groups, murder of NPA hors de combat and espionage, and a number of other atrocities.”
Rigoberto F. Sanchez, spokesperson of the NPA said “this act of revolutionary justice is part of our mandate to uphold the people’s democratic rights and to remove conditions that allow the occurrence, especially of the most inhumane crimes that cause suffering among the people.”
Aside from the P25,000, the NPAs also seized a total of 10 firearms.
“In adherence to the NPA’s internal code of discipline and the rules and customs of war stipulated in the Geneva conventions and other instrument on International humanitarian law, the NPA is duty bound to return any personal item or belongings without any military value. Hence, we would like to ask you to facilitate the turnover of the said amount to the Otaza family in your capacity as Regional Peace and Order Council (RPOC) chairperson,” said Sanchez.
Duterte on Monday has already confirmed that he will be facilitating the return of the money to Otaza’s family . (davaotoday.com)
