by Kathlyn dela Cruz,
ABS-CBNnews.com
We were mentally tortured, cops say
MANILA -- Two policemen who were abducted by New People's Army (NPA) rebels in Agusan del Sur last April 14 narrated how they were taken and how they escaped, calling their four days of captivity a "mental torture."
In an interview with "Mornings @ ANC" Wednesday, Police Officer (PO) 2 Ronald Alan Miel Muñez and PO1 Nemuel Diwata España recalled how they suffered mental torture while in the hands of the communist rebels.
"'Yung kinakainan namin maruruming plato, basta-basta na lang nilalagyan ng pagkain. Para kaming hayop ba at saka ano talaga, mental torture talaga 'yung ginagawa nila sa amin. Kasi pinapakita pa sa amin 'yung mga atrocities nila, former atrocities nila na dun sila kumbaga naging successful. 'Yung ka-baro namin nandun makikita mo nakabulagta, patay," España said.
The two cops were reportedly responding to a hacking incident in Barangay Poblacion, Loreto at the time of their abduction.
Aside from conducting surveillance operations in Sitio Muto where the hacking suspect was believed to be hiding, they were also asked by area leaders to provide security at a public event that was being held.
España said: "Hindi naman talaga namin inaasahan na magkakaroon [ang NPA] ng tsansa. Bigla na lang kaming tinutukan ng baril, 'yung high-powered firearm nila na AK-47."
"Hindi po namin inisip na mangyayari 'yun, na andiyan lang sila sa tabi-tabi, sa paligid," Muñez, likewise, said.
Muñez said they were then handcuffed by their captors and brought to a remote area. He said they just traveled on foot. They were also not allowed to talk to each other.
"Talagang naisip ko ng time na 'yun na kinuha na kami ng NPA, talagang iniisip ko na lang patay na patay na talaga kami, wala na kaming magawa," he said.
'We prayed, didn't lose hope'
Still, both cops did not lose hope, and just kept on praying and waiting for the right moment when they could escape from their captors.
España said they studied the movements of the rebels and carefully planned their escape.
"Bawat galaw nila, pinag-aralan na rin namin tapos nagsesenyasan na lang kami na kung may pagkakataon talaga, lalabas at lalabas kami."
"Sa awa ng Diyos, ano talaga, binigyan kami ng Diyos ng lakas, patience hanggang sa ganun na nga, nakakuha kami ng tsansa," he said.
Muñez recalled: "'Yung lider nil,a tumunog 'yung cellphone, sagot niya 'Hindi ito pwedeng isa-isahin kundi pagsabayin ko itong dalawa.' Kaya sinesyas ko siya na tayong dalawa, itong araw na 'to tutumbahin na talaga."
He said that was the time he decided to seize the two AK-47 rifles of their guards who were already sleeping.
He then shot the two rebels after they were caught trying to escape. "Namalayan ng isa na tumakas na [si España]. Eh di ako nataranta, tinira ko agad 'yung dalawang gwardiya namin."
The two policemen, taking a rifle each, went separate ways in their escape to confuse the rebels.
Muñez went straight to Loreto Municipal Police Station, while residents in Barangay Maitum helped España hide from the rebels.
The two policemen are set to undergo debriefing sessions.
