Rebels’ ‘ex-supply officer’ yields

By Jennifer P. Rendon

A former supply officer of the New People’s Army (NPA) has voluntarily turned himself in to authorities afternoon of November 29 at Bingawan, Iloilo.

The 32-year-old surrenderer, who went by aliases Milly and Macky, is also a resident of Bingawan town.

He turned over a caliber .38 revolver loaded with five ammunition when he yielded to Mayor Mark Palabrica.

Palabrica later turned over the former rebels to Colonel Gilbert Gorrero, Iloilo police director, and Lieutenant Hector Ayagan, Bingawan police chief.

Ayagan said the former rebel joined the movement December 2008 and stayed on until July 2020.

His last assignment was with Squad 1, Batong Platoon of the NPA’s Central Front.

Alias Milky used to be under the command of Francisco Balois alias Tonying of the NPA’s Komiteng Rehiyon-Panay (KR-P).

Milky’s father also used to be a high-ranking commander of the NPA’s Central Front. But he was killed during an armed clash with military troops in 2001.

A Philippine Army-initiated raid on their lair in Calinog, Iloilo in 2010 led to an injury on Milky’s leg.

This affected his mobility, but he participated in an encounter against government troops sometime in 2013 and 2014.

Citing hardships living in the mountains and running away from pursuing government troops, Milky told authorities that he wanted to live a peaceful life.

“By peaceful, he wanted nothing to do with the communist terrorist group,” Ayagan said.

Meanwhile, Palabrica gave Milky P10,000 cash incentive, relief goods, and a sack of rice.

His application to avail of the government’s the Enhanced Comprehensive Local Integration Program (E-CLIP) is now being processed.