CITY OF SAN FERNANDO – Forty-four insurgents belonging to the New People’s Army and its breakaway faction Rebolusyonaryong Hukbo ng Bayan who earlier surrendered to the Philippine Army upon the prodding of their former comradein-arms who is now a mayor were presented to Gov. Lilia “Nanay Baby” Pineda on Monday.
Dubbed the “Santa Ana 44,” the former communist rebels said they were convinced by Santa Ana Mayor Norberto “Ka Ros” Gamboa to surrender and return to the fold of the law.
“Hinikayat natin silang magbagong buhay (We convinced them to turn over a new leaf),” said Gamboa who added that he also assured them of financial assistance to start a livelihood.
For her part, the governor said: “Napaka-importante kasi na magkakaroon sila ng (It is also important that they will have) peace of mind.”
“Ipakita natin na kailangan natin silang asikasuhin para yung iba pang natitira ay sumurender na rin (We should show that we need to take care of them so that those who are still underground can be convinced to surrender),” the governor added.
“Napakalaking bagay ang ginawa ni Mayor Gamboa na naging example. Yung dati nilang kasama naging kumander siya pero ngayon mayor na siya (It is really a big thing that Mayor Gamboa did by being an example to his former colleagues as a former rebel commander and now a mayor),” Pineda said.
Before he became mayor in the just concluded May 9 national elections, Gamboa was a rebel since the 1980s and surrendered in 1990.
But he said he took up arms again in Arayat town “to protect themselves” after their leader, Isidro Torres alias Ka Rema of San Agustin Norte Arayat, was gunned down by their own organization.
In 2004, he said he surrendered to then Lt. Colonel Ricardo R. Visaya who was commander of the Army’s 69th Infantry Battalion based in this province and now AFP chief of staff.
“Bisa ke pung mag balik lub keng gobyerno kasi di pamilya nakeng tau. Buri minang dinan kalayaan ing sarili mi (We want to go back to the government because we have our families. We want to free ourselves),” said Jeanette Macaquit, one of those who surrendered.
Mario Mallari alias Ka Aryung said he was a rebel since the 1980s but upon the prodding of his brotherin-arms Gamboa, he surrendered.
The same is true for Francisco Roxas alias Ka Ador.
Arayat Mayor Emmanuel “Bin” Alejandrino, former supremo of the Hukbong Mapagpalaya ng Bayan, exhorted the rebel-returnees to “raise the level of their struggle in the fight against poverty in the arena of peace” citing his “transformation” from insurgent leader to government official.
The 25 NPA and 19 RHB rebels earlier surrendered to the Philippine Army and yielded various weapons, according to Major Ericson Bulosan of the AFP Civil Relations Service.
They were later presented to Gov. Pineda and the Police Regional Office 3 led by its director, Chief Supt. Aaron Aquino, and officers of the AFP’s 7th Infantry Division led by Lt. Col. Ramil Anoyo of the 69th IB. at the Executive Room of the Provincial Capitol here.
