to what end?

there's trouble in my hometown:

9 npa rebels, 2 cops killed in surigao del norte

last i heard (and one that's not on the news because he's not ces drilon), the suspected rebels took hostage the priest of our town, fr. duarte, who was thankfully released last night. police are now pursuing the rebels who allegedly sought refuge in siargao island.

this takes me back to 15 years ago when skirmishes would often happen when i was a kid. i thought those days were long over; was i wrong.

but why take a priest hostage? take the mayor, the police commander, or whoever in government you wish to abduct, but why take a civilian hostage?

sorry to those who believe in armed struggle but i find it hard to believe there's ideology behind these acts of ransacking government offices, bombing cell towers, and risking the lives of innocent townfolks. to what end?