Talaingod, Davao del Norte – The remains of Rommel Tausan @ROMMEL, a top NPA Terrorist and Dandy Salobiron both from Talaingod, Davao del Norte who were killed during an encounter with the government troops in Davao City were peacefully transported to their respective families in Talaingod, Davao del Norte.
The families of the slain NPAs together with the Local Government Unit (LGU) of Talaingod, Davao del Norte and 56th Infantry Battalion received the remains last September 12, 2020 and safely transported to their respective communities.
During an interview, the family of Rommel Tausan who are from Sitio Sambulongan, Brgy Palma Gil, Talaingod, Davao del Norte has recalled how innocent Rommel was when Communist Terrorist Groups (CTGs) recruited and poisoned his young mind with wrong ideologies which caused him to join the group, and now returned to the families lifeless.
Meanwhile, the family of Dandy Salobiron who are from Sitio Kaylawan, Brgy Sto Nino, Talaingod, Davao del Norte mourned over his remain and said that Dandy was just 17 years old when he was recruited and joined as red fighter.
This event has brought sorrow not only to the families but also to the IP communities as well. This made them realize how the CTGs has exploited, used the lives of the IPs for a meaningless ideologies, caused turmoil, and bring nothing but deaths to the IP communities. This had caused the IPs to initiate a peace rally to condemn the atrocities made by the CTGs, call to stop exploiting the IPs and return their family members who are still with the CTGs.
The said peace rally also served as a venue for the IP communities to show their support in helping the government achieve peace and abandon needless bloodshed which for many years had caused loss of lives, not only to the government forces and the insurgents but also to innocent civilians living in their area.
On September 14, 2020, the remains of Rommel Tausan is now with his family at Sitio Sambulongan while Dandy Salobiron was already laid to his final rest in Sitio Kaylawan.
The families of both parties has expressed their gratitude towards the government that despite their family member fought against the law, the government has extended help in taking care and transporting the remains back to their families for proper interment.
(DPAO 10TH ID, CMO BATTALION, OIC Michael Manguhig, RPN DXKT Davao)