23IB Hands Over NPA Cadaver to Family

BUENAVISTA, Agusan del Norte – The troopers of 23rd Infantry (Masigasig) Battalion (23IB), in coordination with the members of the council of Barangay Guinabsan, Buenavista, Agusan del Norte formally handed over the cadaver of the slain New People’s Army (NPA) rebel to his immediate family on Sunday, May 23, 2021.

It can be recalled that a Communist NPA Terrorist (CNT) insurgent, identified as Cris Guilayon alias Jefferson, a resident of Barangay Rizal, Buenavista, Agusan del Norte was killed in an encounter with the troops of 16th Infantry Battalion (16IB) under the Operational Control of 23IB on 20 May 2021 at the hinter area of Sitio Balatakan of Barangay Guinabsan. The government troopers also recovered from the encounter site two (2) AK-47 rifles.

After the encounter, the troops carried the recovered cadaver from the encounter site to the council members of Guinabsan for documentation before it was brought to a funeral home in Buenavista for proper disposition. The cadaver was brought back to Guinabsan while waiting for the immediate relatives to arrive and claim the dead body of the slain NPA rebel.

Three days after the incident, the family of alias Jefferson arrived in Guinabsan to claim his cadaver. His mother, Mrs. Marina Borres said that someone called her child, Rose Mae Borres, the younger sister of Alias Jefferson, informing them of his untimely death.

Rose Mae was in tears when she testified to 23IB about the final instances when she had a talk with her older brother and how he was duped to join the NPA movement.

“Naay nagtawag sa ako nag paila nga kauban kuno niya sa kalihukan ug iya kong gi impormahan nga patay na si kuya. Matod pa niya nga mao na gyod daw na ang dagan sa ilang trabaho nga gisudlan, usahay mamatyan sila, usahay sab sila ang makapatay. Ug kung gusto kuno me makakita sa iyang haya, adtoon lang namo ang Kapitan sa Brgy Guinabsan adiser pa ilubong. Dako gyod akong kahiubos sa walhong grupo kay ilang nadani si kuya tungod kay gisaaran nila nga hatagan ug kwarta. Nisugot si kuya kay gusto gud niya tabangan iyang mga anak. Karon nga namatay na wala man lang gani silay natabang bisan gamay. Sayon ra kayo para sa ila nga muingon nga wala na si kuya nga murag dili kinabuhi sa tawo ang Nawala. Nag bangutan gyod me kay palangga namo si kuya. Wala unta siya namatay kung wala pa nila pasaligi ug giilad,” Rose Mae said.

She added that alias Jefferson had a work in Buenavista but later they found out that he went to Davao City and told them last month that he was already with the rebels.

“Nanarbaho mana siya sa Prince sauna unya paghuman ug tukod ato, kalit lang dayon na syang nawala. Nagtoo me nga niadto sya sa Davao kay gikuyog siya sa iyang agalon. Wala me magdahom nga mao ni iyang dangatan karon. Nawala siya niadto lang bulan sa Marso tuig 2019 ug panalagsa nalang siya mutawag namo. Last nga kontak namo niadto lang milabay nga petsa 20 sa Abril 2021 ug didto pa siya miangkon nga niuban siya sa kalihukan ug matod pa niya nga padalhan ug kwarta sa iyang mga kauban ang iyang pamilya samtang naa sya sa bukid. Nag too me nga binuang ra niya to pero ako na syang gikumbinsi nga muhawa na sa kalihukan kay igo ra syang giilad sa iyang mga kauabn. Nalooy ko sa iyang tulo ka gagmayng mga anak nga igo lang niya napasagdan. Ag iyang asawa usahay mangayo pag tabang sa amoa kay galisod sab ang pagpuyo,” Rose Mae said.

Despite the loss, his mother, Mrs. Borres expressed her gratitude to the government for the assistance they received. The 23IB also provided the family with assistance.

“Nagpasalamat me sa gobyerno labi na sa kasundaluhan kay bisan paman nahimo nilang kaaway ang akong anak, ila gihapon gitabangan ug gi plastar ang iyang patayng lawas. Hinaot unta nga wala nay laing katawhan ang mailad pa sa walhong kalihukan aron wala nay pamilya nga mag bangutan sama namo. Dili na namo makita pag balik ang akong anak,”- Mrs Borres stated.

Mrs. Borres also told the 23IB troopers that alias Jefferson used the family name of her common-law-husband, which is Guilayon, while her daughter, Rose Mae, uses her family name Borres.

Lt. Col Julius Cesar C. Paulo, the Commanding Officer of 23IB expressed his deepest sympathy to the bereaved family of alias Jefferson.

“We condole with the grieving family of alias Jefferson. Even though he fought against the government, we still value his life because he is just a victim of the deception and false ideologies of the CNTs. It’s about time to end this nonsense movement of the CNTs. Many CNT members have lost their precious lives and many families mourned for losing their long-lost loved ones. May the remnants of the CNTs ponder on this incident, that no matter how loyal they are to their leaders, they will only be treated as nobody especially when incidents like this happen. It is very clear that the CNT leaders are only good at manipulating their members, and will never stand by their side when they are in great trouble. They cannot even provide a proper burial to their slain members. They are just taking advantage of the situation of their targets in order to recruit them in their senseless cause. I hope that the local residents will cut their support to the terrorist NPAs who only manipulated them and pulled them in total despair,” Paulo said.

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