Philippines: rebels must free mayor, guards

The Philippine government denounced a spate of abductions of civilians by Maoist guerrillas and demanded that the rebels free them unharmed if they are serious about pursuing peace talks. The government's negotiating team on Saturday said it was appalled by the rebels' announced plans to put a captive town mayor and four jail guards on trial in a so-called "revolutionary court" where the worst punishment is death. "The (rebel group) is not a state nor has any government recognised it as a belligerent force. It should not presume to act like one," the negotiators said in a statement that demanded their unconditional release. "We are concerned that some of them are suffering from poor health and nutrition. We hold the NPA (New People's Army) directly responsible for their safety, and for any adverse health conditions they may suffer." An NPA statement stressed the hostages' rights would be protected in the "people's court" trial but brushed off calls for their release. "Mayor Dano et al are being presumed innocent until proven guilty. They have the right to counsel and enjoy other basic legal rights," it added. The rebels abducted Henry Dano, the mayor of a remote southern town in a series of attacks on August 6 that also left two soldiers dead and four other government forces wounded. The jail guards were abducted in the south last month. President Benigno Aquino highlighted the kidnappings on Monday when he challenged the insurgents to prove they are sincere in their peace efforts. The Communist Party of the Philippines and its NPA has been waging a Maoist campaign to seize power since 1969. Manila resumed peace talks with the communist rebels in February after a seven-year lull and both sides said that even though the rebels would not sign a ceasefire, they believed a peace pact could be signed by June next year. From a peak of over 25,000 in the 1980s, the military and other defence experts believe the NPA now has less than 5,000 guerrillas. NPA attacks last year killed 187 government forces and dozens of civilians were caught in the crossfire, the Brussels-based International Crisis Group said in a February report.