Davao del Norte: Six (6) former rebels from indigenous peoples (IP) group in Talaingod, Davao del Norte, together with two minors, surrendered to Makatao Battalion on May 13, 2020.
These surrenderees, namely Bongbong Manayab @JOBAN, Platun VCO, 19 years old; Pin-pin Mantoan @PIN-PIN, Team leader, Baking Primera, 20 years old; Peter Kulot Ma-as @JUTAN, Team leader, Abe Segunda, 18 years old; Adiat Tausan Apuga @BENGIE, Member, Abe Primera, 16 years old, live-in partner of @LYN-LYN; Sarie Talogmamo Malurag @LYN-LYN, Medic, Baking Primera, 17 years old, live-in partner of @BENGIE; and Bryan Kulot Ma-as @JONEL, Team leader, Abe Primera, 22 years old, married, were all members of GF56, SRC5, SMRC led by @IGOR.
Five (5) of the rebel returnees are residents of Talaingod, Davao Del Norte: two (2) from So. Inaloy, Brgy. Dagohoy, two (2) from So. Sambolongan, Brgy. Palma Gil and one (1) from So. Peroy, Brgy. Palma Gil. Meanwhile, the sixth one (1) is from Brgy. Bonacao, San Fernando, Bukidnon.
The surrender was made possible through the efforts of Makatao troopers and the local negotiating team organized by this unit composed of local officials, tribal leaders, business sectors and close relatives/friends of CTG members.
The rebel returnees, who are from the Ata Manobo tribe, narrated their miseries while in the hands of the CPP-NPA who recruited them a few years ago. Accordingly, they surrendered because of exhaustion, shortage of food supplies, gruesome experience and misunderstanding inside the organization.
“I was recruited and joined at age 12 out of curiosity and also because all of my family members are full time NPA members. I was enticed by the false propaganda and sugar-coated promises of the leftists and so I tried and eventually joined the armed struggle. I experienced hardships and hunger with the NPA contrary to the thought that my life would be better once I join the group. Instead, my life was in agony and I was miserable because of trudging mountains and rugged terrains in extreme hunger and agitation just to flee from the soldiers” @LYN-LYN said during an interview.
While in the organization, she served as a supply officer in SMRC headquarters, their higher organ and later on deployed in SRGU and GF56 as medic, where she was deprived of a lot of things, most of all the rights and privileges of a youth. She had no decent education and no time for play and recreation but only a mindset focused on serving as an asset in the armed group. She never had a formal schooling outside so she was oriented with the communist teachings and eventually the use of firearms. Inconsiderably, the CPP-NPA let them do terroristic works in such a vulnerable age.
Ltc Silas D Trasmontero, Commanding Officer of 89IB, welcomed the surrenderees who made the right decision to turn their backs from the CPP-NPA and start life anew, away from risk and danger.
He also lamented the recruitment by the terrorist group of youngsters as child warriors, an act prohibited under international humanitarian law- treaty and custom-and is defined as a war crime by International Criminal Court.
