IMPASUGONG, Bukidnon – After years of being exploited, some 19 CPP-NPA Terrorists (CNTs) surrendered at Sitio Mahayag, Barangay St. Peter in Malaybalay City, Bukidnon on Oct. 27.
The Communist Party of the Philippines-New People’s Army (CPP-NPA) rebels, who are indigenous people (IPs) from the Higaonon and Talaandig tribes, also surrendered 12 firearms to the authorities.
Three of the former rebels (FRs) are high-value individuals, while others are mostly residents of Sitio Mahayag.
Among the rebel returnees are the Landasan and Han-ayan families who were reunited and are now living peacefully after years of chaos and hardships inside the terrorist organization.
Ludy Han-ayan alias Dian, 19 years old and a former medic of Regional Sentro De Grabedad, Compaq, North Central Mindanao Regional Committee, said she cannot explain how hard her life was when she was still a CNT.
“Nibalik ko sa sabakan sa gobyerno tungod sa kalisod nga dili nako makaya ilabi na sa nahitabo sa amoa sa bukid. Daghan ang namatay sa amoa ug naa koy kuyog nga babaeng samdan apan tungod sa kasakit sa samad nga akong gibati wala nako siya madala bisan paman nga buot nako siya nga makabalik sab sa sabakan sa gobyerno (I returned to the government because of the hardships that I can no longer endure especially after what happened to us in the mountains. Many of our comrades died. I was with a wounded female comrade but due to the pain I felt after also being wounded, I wasn’t able to carry her even though I wanted her also to return to the fold of the law),” Ludy said.
Lt. Col. Edgardo Talaroc Jr., commander of the 8th Infantry Battalion, said he is hoping to help more CNTs return to their respective families.
“Ang mga CNT ang dugay na nga gabungkag sa daghang pamilya, kung diin dad-on ang inahan, amahan o ang anak sa iyang kamatayon sa bukid. Sama sa mabasa nato sa ilang mga tshirt nga ang kahulogan sa FR dili lamang Former Rebel kun dili “Family Reunited”. Buot namo nga daghang pamilya pa ang matabangan nato aron sila mabuhing malinawon ug malipayon layo sa armadong pakigbisog.” (The CNTs have already broken too many families where they have brought the father, the mother or the child to their death in the mountains. As what you can read in their shirts, the other meaning of FR, aside from Former Rebel, is “Family Reunited”. We hope to save many families and help them live a peaceful and happy life away from the armed struggle,” Talaroc said.
The CPP-NPA is listed as a terrorist organization by the United States, European Union, the United Kingdom, Australia, Canada, New Zealand, and the Philippines. (PNA) – bny
