Davao del Norte – Two slain members of communist terrorist group New Peoples Army (NPA) were recently turned over by military commanders to families having been given a decent treatment of cadaver and funeral services.
Philippine Army commander Brigadier General Nolasco C. Mempin of the 1003rd Infantry Brigade over the weekend, turned over the dead to members of their respective direct families, and to the LGU of Talaingod where they had been traced as residents of such municipality.
Believed to be under Guerilla Front 55, Sub-Regional Committee 5, Southern Mindanao Revolutionary Committee (GF55, SRC 5, SRMC), the two were slain in an encounter with the 27th Infantry Battalion on September 09 at Sitio Kanacan, Brgy Saloy, Calinan District, Davao City.
Troopers of 27th Inf Battalion proceeded to the area in response to information of some locals in the area about the presence of heavily armed group. Firefight ensued resulting to the death of the two. The military also captured an amazon (woman NPA member) and seized one M4 rifle, three M16 rifles and one 1 M14 rifle.
No civilians were hurt or displaced during the incident which transpired in a very remote and forested part of Sitio Saloy, military report said.
Mempin noted the “religious values” of the troopers prompting them to extend effort to retrieve the dead NPAs and brought them over to a hilltop for military chopper to transport to downtown Davao to a funeral parlor in Lasang, Davao City near the base of 1003rd INF. BDE Headquarters.
“The operating troops had second thoughts of just leaving behind the cadaver of these NPAs but because of their religious principles they tried their best to bring the cadaver up to a hilltop so that the helicopter could pick them up the following day,” he narrated to PIA the efforts of his troopers.
He assured safety of transport of the slain to their homeplace in Talaingod after the turnover to their respective families who also received from the 1003rd INF. BDE, supplies of rice and other food stuff and cash offering that they could use during the wake.
Mempin had given the task to 56th Inf Battalion under Lt Col Norman Valdez “take charge until they are buried to show to the family that even though we are at the opposite side we are looking after the welfare of the slain NPAs”.
Valdez was also present during the turnover of the dead at Rivera Funeral Parlor in Lasang, Davao City.
Mempin gave Talaingod Mayor Jonie Libayao and Davao del Norte Provincial Governor Edwin Jubahib due credit for their assistance given for funeral services and embalming of the slain NPAs.
On behalf of his command, Mempin told PIA that they sympathized with the sorrows of the bereaved families, while calling on the rest of those still working with the communist terrorist group to go back to the folds of the law.
“Ang ating panawagan o ang atong pangandoy sa ilaha sana maobalik na sila sabakan kay daghang programa naghulat sa ilaha particularly sa area of Taliaingdo where government officials, both the municipal and provincial levels are doing best to give services due to communities like livelihood and even housing projects,” he said.
Mempin expected the collaboration of various government agencies through Task Force Ending Local Communist Armed Conflict (TF ELCAC) to create a much enlightened communities at peripheral communities, assisted and guided on how to improve their state of living. (PIA XI/ Jeanevive Duron Abangan, OIC Michael Manguhig, RPN DXKT Davao)