TAGUM
CITY, Davao del Norte, December 2 (PIA) - - More than 200 rebels, who were
mostly indigenous people of Ata Manobo origins, surrendered to the 60th
Infantry Battalion in Brgy. Gupitan, Kapalong.
During
the Serbisyo Caravan of the Association of Regional Executives of National
Agencies in Region XI (ARENA XI), 216 members of the New People’s Army (NPA)
pledged allegiance to the Republic of the Philippines and the Constitution on
Sunday (November 30).
The
Balik-Loob Ceremony was witnessed by 10th Infantry Division commanding officer
Major General Eduardo Año, Davao del Norte Governor Rodolfo del Rosario and
Kapalong Mayor Edgardo Timbol.
Major
General Año encouraged the indigenous people to continue in supporting the army
to end the insurgency problem in Barangay Gupitan.
“Sa
atong mga kaigsuonang lumad dinhi, pagpatuloy niyo ang magsuporta sa ato para
once and for all matapos na ang problema natin sa CPP-NPA sa lugar na ito,”
he said. (To our Lumad brothers, continue your support to us to, once and for
all, end our problem in CPP-NPA in this area.)
Año
assured the people that the military will serve 24 hours a day to ensure peace
in the area as well as in the whole province.
Meanwhile,
Datu Lirab Lirab (not his real name), a tribal chieftain in one of the sitios
in Brgy. Gupitan, recalled in his testimony his ordeals while he was kidnapped
by the NPA.
“Gigamit
ako sa NPA para dauton ang mga sundalo, pati among Mayor ug si Governor,” Datu
Lirab Lirab said. (I was used by the NPA (New People’s Army) to speak ill
against the military, including our Mayor and the Governor.)
He
emphasized that he was directed to broadcast in radio and press conferences to
pull out the military in Brgy. Gupitan.
“Gipa-apil
pa nila kanako ug pagdaot si Mayor ug Governor kay nganong wala daw gibuhat
aron mapahawa ang mga military,” he said. (They even included in my slander the
Mayor and the Governor for doing nothing in pulling out the military.)
No comments:
Post a Comment