Published on: June 01, 2023
By Consuelo Alarcon
TACLOBAN CITY (PIA) -- The 8th Infantry Division of the Philippine Army has confirmed on Wednesday the identity of four members of the Communist Terrorist Group (CTG) who were killed during an encounter with the government troops in the hinterlands of Brgy. Mabini, Catarman, Northern Samar on Sunday, May 28.
The confirmation was made after the cadavers were identified by alias Kurati, a former rebel who operated in the area.
In a press statement released by Captain Jefferson M. Mariano, chief of the 8ID Public Affairs Office, former comrade alias Kurati identified the cadaver of Joshua Musico Sagdullas alias Miyong/Martin, secretary-general of Bayan Eastern Visayas and former chairperson of the University of the Philippines Visayas Tacloban Campus (UPVTC) College Student Council, as one of the casualties.
Alias Miyong allegedly served as the political instructor of the group for almost a year and reportedly a student activist in Tacloban.
The three others who were also killed during the encounter were identified as Geraldine Teopinto alias Luz, finance officer; Abigail Padula Baselga alias Moana as medical officer, and Vicente Termo.
Alias Kurati surrendered to the government sometime in April following an encounter between the CTG members and army soldiers in Bobon, Northern Samar.
Major General Camilo Z. Ligayo, 8ID commander, expressed his sadness over the death of the four rebels because of their “pointless ideology.”
With this incident, Ligayo urged those remaining CTG members to return to the fold of the law.
“Another life has been lost in the war against the senseless ideology of the Communist Terrorist Group. Let us put an end to this way of life of constant struggle and fear. The door is still open for those who want to surrender and live a better and more peaceful life,” Ligayo added.
“They could have had a better future ahead and be an active partner of the government in nation building, helping the people in the community if they were not recruited by the terrorist group,” Ligayo said.
Meanwhile, the Regional Peace and Order Council (RPOC) Chairperson, Tacloban City Mayor Alfred Romualdez, conveyed his sympathies and condolences to the families of the deceased especially to the family of his fellow Taclobanon, Miyong.
The RPOC chairperson strongly urged the remaining CTGs to choose the right path while they still can.
“I feel sad for the families, kaya kayong ibang nandiyan pa sa movement, isipin niyo ang mga naiiwanan ninyo. Feeling ninyo itong ginagawa ninyo ay talagang may ipinaglalaban kayo. Pero sa bandang huli ang mas nakakaawa dito ang mga iniiwanan ninyo. ‘Yong parents pinagpawisan para mabigyan ka ng edukasyon, maraming talent and all tapos, what happened? It is really sad, I hope this will stop, and this will end very soon,” Romualdez said. (MMP/CBA with 8ID)
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