Young leader of armed suspects in April 1 Agusan hostage taking falls on Friday the 13^th

by Ben Serrano

     May 14, 2011

                BUTUAN CITY (PNA) - The young Manobo leader and his companion in the armed tribal group who are prime suspects in the abduction of 15 teachers, Dep Ed officials, students and civilians were arrested by authorities almost noon Friday the 13^th in Purok 6, Barangay La Purisima, Prosperidad, Agusan del Sur.

                Caraga police regional director Chief Supt. Reynaldo S. Rafal told THE STAR operatives from Agusan del Sur Provincial Public Safety Company under Police Chief Inspector ROMMEL VILLAMOR with close supervision of Agusan del Sur Police Provincial Director PSSUPT JEROME BAXINELA nabbed Kenken Perez and Dodong Perez Sabas who were caught in the act of possessing one (1) cal. 45 pistol and gun parts of M16 Rifle about 11:50 a.m. May 13 Friday. 

                Rafal said charges of illegal possession of firearms are being readied against the two who are now detained at Agusan del Sur Provincial Jail situated inside sprawling Provincial Capitol Compound 

                Last April 1, Kenken Perez who is nephew of another armed Manobo tribal warriors Ondo Perez now detained with seven others involved in December 2009 abduction of 75 people also in Prosperidad town, headed with two others, Dodong Perez Sabas and Rejoy Brital abducted 15 persons (earlier it was reported 16) also in in Purok 6, Barangay La Purisima, Prosperidad, Agusan del Sur.

                Abductors demanded released of Ondo Perez and companions whom they claimed were detained even if agreement was reached and signed by top local and national government officials witnessed by a priest and DSWD officer  that Ondo and company will not be detained and charges filed against them cleared if they will release hostages.

                After long negotiations headed by Supreme Datu Bagtikan Roy Q. Gallego, Ondo Perez and company agreed to release hostages after they personally saw top officials of the government signed the agreement that they will not be detained and all charges filed and will be file against them will be cleared. 

               Datu Bagtikan furnished to this writer a certified photocopy from the original copy of him of the agreement.

                Fifty six remaining hostages were released with Datu Bagtikan as eyewitness that all were safely released but Ondo Perez and company instead of being brought to Butuan City at the Bishop’s House, they were instead hauled to the provincial jail.

                Ken Ken Perez who 16 years old then, Rejoy Brital, 15 were among those companions of Ondo Perez that were imprisoned. It was not known why Kenken and Rejoy were released but authorities claimed the two minors were put under custody under the DWSD since they were minor offenders.

                The rest is history when suddenly the two minors figured again into another kidnapping incident.

                On April 6 early dawn, the three suspects abandoned remaining 12 hostages mostly teachers, civilians most of them single motorcycle drivers of the victims.

                Last May 13 Friday almost noon, Kenken Perez and Dodong Perez Sabas were arrested but Rejoy Brital allegedly escaped.

                In text messages with media including this writer, Brital said he was with Ken-Ken and Dodong at the time of their arrest.

                “Luckily I managed to escape” text message from Rejoy Brital claimed. 

                Brital said they were on their way home in Purok 6 last May 13 morning from sitio Upper Balete thinking everything was already okay and pre-arranged but to their surprise they did not knew authorities surrounded them and got the two arrested.

Brital did not specifically detailed what “pre-arranged means and to whom and how he managed to escape”.

Brital instead replied without explaining what does it mean saying, “ the April 1 hostage taking was a big comedy drama he regrets falling into the trap”  (PNA/Ben Serrano)