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Wednesday, February 21, 2007
Communist rebels hail militiaman's defection
By Stephen Capillas
CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY -- The New People's Army (NPA) lauded Tuesday the theft of two M-16 rifles and several ammunition by a paramilitary trooper at a detachment in Barangay Alipuaton, Salay town in Misamis Oriental at 12:30 p.m. last Monday.
National Democratic Front (NDF) North-Central Mindanao spokesman Cesar Renerio said they hailed the defection of Civilian Auxiliary Forces Geographical Unit (Cafgu) member Parai Gonzales, who turned the firearms over to the NPA's Eking Balacuit command.
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The theft occurred even as troops of the Eighth Infantry Battalion arrested a suspected NPA finance officer in Sitio Solo, Barangay San Juan, Balingasag town, also in Misamis Oriental, over the weekend.
Fourth ID chief Major General Jose Barbieto declined to identify the suspect who is said to be under interrogation by the Fourth ID's 403rd Brigade as of Tuesday.
But Barbieto said subversive documents, a cell phone, and a grenade were confiscated from the official's possession. Both Balingasag and Salay towns are plagued by communist NPA rebels.
The theft of the firearms, meanwhile, occurred hours after a military convoy was hit by a landmine explosion near the Cafgu detachment.
NPA Eking Balacuit Command spokesman Emiliano Libertad said in an interview over radio station dxIF that Gonzales then helped the other Cafgus load the firearms into the detachment, only to steal some of them and bring such to a waiting NPA rebel outside the area.
There were reports that Cafgus monitoring the area were offered coffee laced with sleeping pills by Gonzales in order to effect the theft.
NPA infiltration of Cafgu ranks is nothing new, following the raid and theft of 29 firearms by communist NPA rebels in a Cafgu detachment in Valencia City, Bukidnon late last year.
In the same radio interview, Libertad said the incident only showed that contrary to the military's claims, the communist rebels still hold the loyalties of the communities in the countryside.
"The incident only showed that because of the extrajudicial killings and other abuses against the people and 'progressive groups' critical of the administration, more people are being driven to support the communist movement," Renerio said.
In response, Fourth ID spokesman Major Samuel Sagun said they have yet to determine whether Gonzales was coerced into stealing the firearms and joining the movement.
"In any case this doesn't affect us and he cast his lot with the communist insurgents. I hope he took into consideration how this would affect his family who are looking to him for support," Sagun said. (Sun.Star Cagayan de Oro/Sunnex)
For more Philippine news, visit Sun.Star Bacolod. (February 21, 2007 issue)
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