Leftist rebels free kidnapped village official in S. Philippines

DAVAO CITY, Philippines, July 12 (Xinhua) -- Leftist group of New People's Army (NPA) has released a village official kidnapped by the rebel group last June 30 in southern Philippines, local police on Friday said.

Caraga region police spokesperson Martin Gamba said that Edgar Bantuasan, councilman of Santa Teresa, a village in Southern Philippine town of Loreto, Agusan del Sur province, was freed at 8 p.m. on Wednesday by his captors in the hinterland village of Johnson, also in Loreto.

"According to the victim, he was hogtied, blindfolded and moved to several locations during his ten-day captivity. He had been suspected of being a military informant and a supporter of Mayor Dario Otaza," Gamba told Xinhua.

The police spokesperson said Local and tribal officials had negotiated with Bantuasan's abductors to release him days after several NPA members snatched him at gunpoint near his house late last month, adding that the victim is now undergoing medical checkup at a local hospital after he complained of stress, exhaustion and stomach pains.

Gamba said pursuit operations were now being conducted by police and the military against the kidnappers.

The 4,000-strong NPA, armed wing of the Communist Party of the Philippines, is fighting a leftist insurgency in 60 Philippine provinces since 1969.

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