Self-confessed rebel flees Haran, surrenders
THE Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) said that a former communist fighter who joined the Manilakbayan under the human rights group Karapatan, surrendered to military unit in Compostela Valley after he escaped from UCCP Haran that housed several evacuees belonging to Indigenous People (IP) community.
In a statement, Philippines Army’s 10th Infantry Division (ID) Division of Public Affairs Office (DPAO) chief Captain Jerry Lamosao said that the surrenderee was identified as alias Kardo who surfaced and confessed that he was among those who joined the Manilakbayan. He surrendered on March 11 at 3 p.m. at the 71st IB Headquarters, at Purok 8, Barangay Nueva Visayas, Mawab, Compostela Valley Province.
Lamosa said that Alias Kardo is a former team leader of Squad 3, Front Guerilla Unit (FGU)/Sentro de Grabidad (SDG) of the New People’s Army (NPA) in 2015. He was then 16 years old when he was recruited to join the NPA as a combatant and had been involved in different harassments and ambuscades against the troops of 71st IB and 46th IB, which resulted to the death of one officer and two enlisted personnel in Mabini and Pantukan,
Compostela Valley Province last 2014 to 2016.
Before his surrender, he was designated as marshal of Manilakbayan, the caravan of leftoriented groups with indigenous peoples traveled from Mindanao to Manila. He was tasked to guard the more than 100 IP evacuees from Talaingod, Davao del Norte and Agusan del Norte seeking temporary shelter at Haran. Among them were 40 IP children.
“According to a.k.a. Kardo, the people inside Haran are only victims of brainwash and propaganda activity of the political instructors (PI) of the NPA. They were forced to vacate their home and were promised by the (organizers of) Manilakbayan their food and needs if they will be staying in Haran. While in Haran, the promise of providing everything for them lasted only for two months,” Lamosao said.
He added, “The following days, months, and years were full of hardships and sacrifices. People inside Haran suffer in hunger and sickness. No food, no viand, many were sick and no medicines were provided. Personal interests of the leaders and organizers won over the worst situation of the masses inside.”
There were evacuees who expressed their intention to return to their respective homes but the alleged left-leaning group stopped them by making fabricated stories that their houses were already destroyed and that the government troops will kill them if they return.
“Kardo added that bakwits are only used by the Manilakbayan and Karapatan as a capital to gain financial support from different foundations who cater to the welfare of poor particularly IPs. These financial support and revolutionary taxes are used to conduct rallies in Davao region and Manila but most of it was corrupted by their leaders. These malpractices led him to distrust the organizations and the people behind it,” Lamosao said.
During their interview with Kardo, he called on Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio and other concerned government officials of Davao del Norte to help the remaining evacuees inside UCCP Haran and to allow them to return to their homes and live according to their will and not dictated upon by others.
“I escaped from Haran because I want to be the eye opener and the key for Freedom of the Bakwits inside. Nothing awaits us if we remain in said place. How can these people say that in there we can achieve progress? How can we escape from poverty if we only do rallies and listen to their lectures against government and teach us to be violent for armed struggle? Some of the Bakwits were detained for almost five years with no improvement happened, instead, our lives became harder than before,” Kardo said in the vernacular.
Lieutenant Colonel Esteveyn E. Ducusin, 71st IB Commander, expressed his gratitude as mass surrender to his battalion continues. Ducusin said that the battalion will continue its coordination and partnership with local government units (LGUs) and local government agencies (LGAs) for legal actions against the personalities involved in illegal detention of 100 “bakwits” in UCCP Haran.JCR (For full story visit www.sunstar. com.ph/davao/)