The New People’s Army (NPA) has admitted that its Front 52 under Leoncio Pitao alias Kumander Parago was behind the abduction of a 21-year-old woman in Paradise Embac, Paquibato District, Davao City last Friday.

In an interview aired over dxDC-RMN Davao, NPA political director Ka Simon Santiago said Elenisa “Tata” Garcia, 21, was “arrested” by the NPA’s Front 52 at around 7 p.m. on March 20 at her residence in purok Uno, sitio Bajada, Paradise Embac.

Santiago said Garcia was arrested for “crimes she had committed” against the underground movement.

Santiago said Garcia was involved in intelligence work and had been reporting of the NPA’s location activities to the Military Intelligence Battalion (MIB).

Garcia was also instrumental in the identification of civilians who had connections with the NPA, he added.

Santiago said Garcia is now in an NPA detention cell but assured her family that her rights would be respected. He said Garcia has the right to be represented by a lawyer during her trial in an NPA court.

Paquibato police precinct commander Senior Inspector Dave Liboon had earlier said two armed men arrived at Garcia’s residence posing as customers in their sari-sari store which at the time was already closed.

Liboon said the men insisted on buying some items from the store, but when Garcia’s brother opened the door they introduced themselves as NPA members and that they wanted to talk to Garcia.

Liboon said when the brother appealed to the suspects not to harm his sister, they pulled out their guns and brought Garcia to a waiting motorcycle.

For his part, Eastern Mindanao Command spokesperson Major Randolf Cabangbang lambasted the NPA for taking Garcia since she is a woman.

“They are not trained to investigate. They are not lawyers. They don’t have detention facilities, considering she was a woman,” Cabangbang said.