The raid happened just two days after the communist guerrillas announced that they were releasing Mayor Henry Dano of Lingig, Surigao del Sur, who was kidnapped almost two months ago.

Reports reaching the National Police General Headquarters in Camp Crame, Quezon City, said around 200 guerillas swooped down the offices of the Taganito Mining Corp. in Claver at about 10:30 a.m.

Chief Supt. Agrimero Cruz Jr., National Police spokesman, said the rebels also took one of the managers of the company.

He said other NPA armed bands put up roadblocks at the Baoay Bridge at the boundary of Claver and Gogaquit in barangay Hayanggabon, sitio Capangdan in barangay Urbiztondo and at the Claver Public Cemetery, all in the same town.

The roadblocks were apparently set up in order to block any possible government assistance to the raided mining company.

On Saturday the Communist Party of the Philippines  (CPP) ordered rebels to release Dano, whom the NPA kidnapped along with his two bodyguards on August 6.

The guerrillas, who posed  as members of the National Bureau of Investigation, also took two M-16 rifles and two caliber .45 pistols when they raided the mayor’s house.

In a statement sent to the media, Mel Rivera, information officer of the CPP’s Southern Mindanao Regional Party Committee, said they decided to free Dano after he issued an apology for his alleged “crime against the people.”

He said the release was also made on humanitarian grounds and due to the appeals of “well-meaning groups and individuals.”

The rebels said they seized Dano in order to try him from “crimes against the people.”