THE five policemen freed by communist rebels in Paquibato district were turned over to Davao City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte on Monday afternoon.

Duterte, a presidential aspirant who is currently the survey frontrunner, in turn brought the police officers to the Davao police regional office after they were held captive for 10 days.

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Last April 16, New People’s Army rebels seized the station commander and four members of the Paquibato police station after staging an attack on a government militia detachment.

Held captives were Chief Inspector Leonardo Tarongoy, Police Officer 3 Rosenie Cabuenas, PO3 Rudolph Pacete, PO2 Neil Arellano and PO3 Abdul Azis Ali.

In an earlier Inquirer report, it said the National Democratic Front (NDF) released the captives on the occasion of its 43rd founding anniversary.

Chief Insp. Milgrace Driz, Davao City Police Office spokesperson, said the freed five policemen were turned over to Duterte around 4:30 p.m.

“They arrived safely at PRO11 (Davao Police Regional Office) on board a helicopter together with Mayor Rodrigo Duterte from Barangay (village) Lumiad in Paquibato district,” Driz said.

Duterte and the policemen were received at the police headquarters by the families of the victims with officials Chief Supt. Manuel Gaerlan and Senior Supt. Vicente Danao.

Driz said that as of press time, the five police officers were undergoing medical check-up and stress debriefing.

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