AUTHORITIES exhumed the body of a New People’s Army (NPA) member who was allegedly killed by his fellow rebels Purok 8, Libuton, Barangay Andap, New Bataan, Davao de Oro, on Wednesday, May 11.
According to the revelation of alias Vina, a squad supply officer of Regional Operations Command (ROC) who surrendered to the government forces on April 27, Jeffrey Rollon was killed by Eric Jun Casilao alias Ka Elian, one of the top rebel commanders in the region. Reportedly, he was considered to be a burden to their movement while they were fleeing from the forces of the 10th Infantry Division.
Capt. Mark Anthony Tito, the 10th Infantry Division Public Affairs Office chief, said that Rollon was already weak from severe hunger and had difficulty keeping pace with the other squad members.
“Kaya naging pabigat, binugbog nalang siya at sinakal ni Ka Elian hanggang sa mamatay, then nilibing sa may Andap (He became a burden to us. That is why he was beaten and choked to death by Elian and buried him in Andap.),” Alias Vina said.
After her revelation, a joint operation was immediately launched by the 66th Infantry Battalion under Lt. Col. Julius M Munar and personnel from New Bataan Municipal Police Station and Municipal Disaster Response Team on May 11.
MGen. Nolasco A Mempin, 10ID commander, condemned the “barbaric act.”
“If only they chose to surrender, this would not have happened that they need to kill each other just for them to survive. Once again, we are calling them to lay down their arms, return to their families and live a peaceful and meaningful life ahead,” Mempin added.
Casilao is currently the secretary of the CTG’s Southern Mindanao Regional Committee and has a wide array of criminal cases ranging from kidnapping and serious illegal detention to several counts of murder. He also has a P5.4-million bounty from the Department of National Defense – Department of Interior and Local Government Joint Order of Reward.
