RP communists free policeman

RP communists free policeman

MANILA (AFP): Philippine communist guerrillas freed yesterday a policeman they had captured two months ago in an ambush on the island of Mindoro, south of here, government television and other reports said.

Police officer Martellano Magtagad was handed over by the New People's Army (NPA) in Mindoro to a representative of the International Committee of the Red Cross and two Philippine government officials, government television said.

Privately-run television station SNN aired footage of the police officer, overcome with emotion and wiping tears away with a piece of white cloth as he was led down from a wooded hill onto a clearing by armed guerrillas.

Magtagad was abducted by the rebels on Nov. 7 when five other policemen and civilians were killed in a guerrilla ambush near the town of Bongabong.