ShareThisMANILA -Government forces exhumed the skeletal remains of two New People’s Army (NPA) rebels who were believed victims of purging within their ranks last Monday.
Army spokesman Col. Antonio Parlade said the bodies of victims were identified as Bobong Lumbanayan Anduyo, alias “Iso,” and Rito Mawang, alias ‘Jeffrey.’ They were exhumed by joint military and police authaorities in a remote village in Sitio Pundasyon, Barangay Concepcion, Laak, Compostela Valley.
New People's Army
Citing reports reaching the Army headquarters in Fort Bonifacio, Parlade said Anduyo and Mawang were both members of the Southern Regional Guerilla Unit, Southern Mindanao Regional Committee (SMRC).
Accordingly, Anduyo was only 16 years old when he was recruited by NPA rebels to join the communist group and he was not seen by his family alive since November last year.
“His disappearance prompted Maneha Anduyo, the father, to seek help from the authorities to locate his son after he heard rumors that the younger Anduyo was murdered by his comrades after trying to leave the communist group,” said Parlade.
Meanwhile, Jesus Jamen, a rebel returnee was gunned down by his former fellow rebels in a separate incident of communist atrocity in Cauayan, Negros Occidental on October 4.
Enciong was liquidated by his former comrades due to his continuing refusal to return to the NPA movement.
On Oct. 5, Eulalio Bargaso, a civilian, was killed inside his home, in Guihulngan, Negros Oriental, allegedly by NPA hit men.
The victim’s refusal to pay the forced “taxation,” which earned them the ire of the rebel group, was also viewed as another reason for the killing.
“These atrocities committed by the CPP-NPA group substantiate the early reports of the group’s continuing practice of “multiple killing,” or purging within their ranks. This time, the attacks affect those who signified intention to denounce armed struggle after realizing that they are fighting for a lost cause,” said Parlade.
“This is a clear manifestation of the communist terrorists’ callous and insensitive nature wherein they do not discriminate their targets in order to create an atmosphere of fear among the local residents as well as to desperately reassure their diminishing ranks,” the official added.
Parlade said the Philippine Army, under Lt. Gen. Arturo Ortiz, condemns such atrocities even as “it appeals to all stakeholders to take action and join them in order to improve the plight of all people who have been victims of communist insurgency.”