The remains of a suspected New People’s Army member was recovered on April 9 in Pantukan, Davao de Oro.
2Lt. Kim Carlos, the civil-military operations officer of the 71st Infantry Battalion, identified the slain rebel as Benjamin Olvis, the regional medical staff of the Southern Mindanao Regional Committee (SMRC), who was reported wounded during the encounter last April 7.
Carlos said they received a tip from a concerned citizen about a body that was discovered on the cliff in Sitio Ibuan, Barangay Tagdangua, Pantukan.
Acting on the information, joint forces of the 71st IB and 1101st Regional Mobile Force Battalion (RMFB) of the police and barangay officials checked the information.
The body was brought to Delta Company headquarters in Sitio Upper Lahi, Barnagay Magnaga, Pantukan.
An alias Dodong, a former rebel, positively identified Olvis.
On the same day at 5:25 p.m., the body was turned over to the PNP Pantukan for proper disposition.
The sister of Olvis said, “He served the movement for 30 years, why did they just abandon him?”
Olvis was the second body recovered from the April 7 clash between the troops and the New People’s Army. The other one was recovered on the day of the encounter, and he was identified as Julius Aquiatan, 20, resident of Barangay Cadunan, Mabini, in Davao de Oro.
