ANGELES CITY– A ranking leader and medical officer of the New People’s Army (NPA) surrendered with his high powered arm to the Philippine Army’s 5th Infantry Division in North Luzon.
Col. Miguel Puyao, information officer of the 5th ID, said rebel leader Lolito Dao-ayan, alias Jackson or Jango, was presented to 5th ID commander Maj. Gen. Rommel Gomez after his surrender to Col. Eliseo Posadas, commanding officer of the 503rd Brigade and Lt. Col. Noel Baluyan, commander of the 41st Infantry Battalion last Monday.
Puyao said Dao-ayan was a medical officer and team leader of the NPA’s Sandatahang Unit Pampropaganda (SYP) I, Platoon Uno of Kilusang Larangan Guirella (KLG).
He said Dao-ayan, a native of Barangay Kateggegan in Pinukpuk, Kalinga, has remained unmarried through 19 years with the NPA. He also turned over to the Army his M16 Colt rifle.
Dao-yan told the military that he joined the NPA in 1982 after he was allegedly used by the rebels as errand boy.
He said he had assumed various posts in the rebel movement over the past 19 years, including being liaison officer, “militia ng bayan”, and supply officer.
Dao-yan narrated that sometime in September 2003, his request to be reassigned to Mt. Province was granted to enable him to flee from relatives who were already suspicious of his involvement in the rebel movement.
His transfer enabled him to join rebel operations not only in Mt. Province, but also in Abra and Ilocos Sur.
He also told the military that as member of the rebel movement, he underwent various trainings such as a “general mass course”, basic military training.
He also said that he undergone various training such as General Mass Course and Basic Military Training.
Dao-yan said he became a medical officer in the rebel movement after being trained in two levels of medical courses. It is not clear whether he took up the course in a medical school.
He said he had joined armed operations against the military and admitted that during such encounters, many rebels were killed although their bodies were carted off by their comrades.
In 2011, Dao-yan accepted the position as team leader because he was the most senior among his group’s members.
He said he fled his base in the forests of the Mt. Province during a recent visit of his mother, by riding on the same Elf van used by his mother for the visit.
Payao said Dao-yan is now a beneficiary of the Social Integration Program of the government under the Office of the Presidential Assistance on Peace Process (OPAPP).
He was given an initial financial assistance of P10,000.
