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5 more rebels surrender, pledge allegiance to gov’t
Published: December 10, 2006 by The Bohol Standard

The ranks of the armed underground movement here are fast losing its members, including top ranking officials.

The military revealed Wednesday the identities of five more Boholano rebels who returned to the fold of the law.

In a press conference held by the military’s Central Command (CentCom) in Cebu, Lt. Col. Oscar Lasangue, chief of the civil relations group, presented former New People’s Army members Ranulfo Doydora, 40, of barangay Inag-uban, Pilar, Bohol; Francisco “ Ka Amador” Payot of barangay Sta. Cruz, Batuan, Bohol; Antonio “ Ka Junrex” Moring, 29, of Alicia, Bohol and Sofronio “Ka Dimaudlaw” Labadan, 54, of barangay Cagong-Cagong, Alicia, Bohol.

The fifth was not present in the media presentation but was identified as Barnard Banal, 29, a native of barangay Ermita, Cebu City but had relocated to Alicia, Bohol.

The identities of these returnees had been kept secret for sometimes due to possible danger of their lives, CentCom said.

One returnee confirmed suspicions of the military that certain militant groups were legal fronts of the NPA.

Moring said he was the spokesman for Anak Pawis in Alicia, Bohol and helped campaign for party-list seat in Congress in 2004. He admitted recruiting young students and was with Marvin Marquez, a rebel student-leader, killed in an encounter in Bohol sometime in 2000.

He showed an identification card identifying him as Anak Pawis member.

Doydora also said he joined the rebel movement when he was promised education for his children and livelihood for his family. He said he had two elder brothers who were rebels and who were killed in a military encounter.

Payot, on the other hand, said he joined the NPA in 1999 but quit in 2004 after he realized that the rebels’ promise were empty.

Earlier this month, two other rebels surrendered to Bohol Governor Erico Aumentado, renouncing their involvement with the underground movement.

Pres. Arroyo has called on other insurgency affected provinces to emulate the “Bohol experience” wherein through various programs, the government succeeded in convincing these rebels to return to mainstream society.

The Bohol governor has been nominated and vested numerous awards for his poverty alleviation program and his establishment of peace and order councils that actively participate in civic actions in far-flung areas.

While the country struggled for over 35 years battling insurgency, Gov. Aumentado did it in just a couple of years after he assumed office in 2001.

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