IMPASUGONG, BUKIDNON – Hunger, exhaustion, and fear brought a CPP-NPA Terrorist (CNT) back to the folds of the law last January 16, 2022, at Headquarters 8th Infantry “Dependable” Battalion, Poblacion, Impasugong, Bukidnon.
Isagani Lina Pepito @Rex/Abby, 35, a Team Leader of Team Baking, Squad 1, Platoon Dario, Guerilla Front 89, Sub-Regional Committee 2, North Central Mindanao Regional Committee (GF89, SRC2, NCMRC) said that he was deceived to join the armed struggle when he was still 28 years old. Further, Pepito is one of the remnants of GF89 that was officially declared dismantled last November 23, 2021.
“Kanhi kong myembro sa kabatan-onan nga gi-organisa sa NPA aron dunay modala sa ilang supply sa kabukiran sa Buenavista, Agusan del Norte. Niadtong nahimo na kong regular NPA niadtong 2015 wala may saad nila nga natuman. Wala man koy maayong kaugmaon nga natagamtaman,” Pepito expressed. (I am a former member of the youth sector organized by the NPA so that they will have couriers in the hinterlands of Buenavista, Agusan del Norte. When I became a regular NPA in 2015 none of their promises happened. I did not attain a better future.)
Pepito also said that his wife Tata Almahan, @Cute, former Medic of GF89 and now the medic of Regional Sentro De Grabidad Compaq, NCMRC is still in the mountains and is suffering from a heart disease. “Unta makanaug na akong asawa ug makabalik siya sa sabakan sa gobyerno aron matambalan ug aron makompleto na usab among pamilya,” Pepito added. (I hope that my wife will be able to return and surrender to the government to receive treatment and for our family to be reunited.)
LTC Anthony Bacus, Commander, 8IB, welcomed the decision of Pepito and stated, “Ang pagbalik niya sa sabakan sa gobyerno atong gikalipay tungod aduna na usab kitay kinabuhi nga naluwas gikan sa makadaut ug makamatay nga armadong pakigbisog. Kami padayun nga nagapanawagan sa mga nahibilin pa nga mga CNT nga mokanaug na gikan sa bukid og dawaton ang tabang ug programa nga andam ihatag sa gobyerno alang sa inyong malinawon ug malipayong kaugmaon.” (We are happy of his decision to return to the folds of the law because we are able to save another life from the grasps, destruction and death brought by the armed struggle. We continue our call to the remaining CNTs that they come down from the mountains and accept the assistance and programs of the government for your peaceful and happy future.)
