BALBALAN, Kalinga (PIA) – – Two alleged members of the Communist Terrorist Group (CTG) killed in recent encounters with the military were given decent burial and given funeral assistance.
1Lt. Ferdinand Pulalon, 50th Infantry Battalion Civil-Military Operations, said killed CTGs during encounters with security forces still deserve respect even if they are considered enemies of the state. “They are still our brother Filipinos. They were only misled by the indoctrination of Communist ideologues and deceived by false promises of a life of utopia under a Communist regime,” he said.
Police report said Roy Aggulin Battawang aka ‘Gonzalo’, 54, resident of Ananaag, Ammacian, Pinukpuk was killed on March 15 in the isolated area of Lagan, barangay Gawaan, and Osias Maggay Balao-as aka ‘Pal-og, Payan, Paut’, 62, and resident of Bonnong, Wagud, Pinukpuk was killed on March 9, 2023 in a forested area of Babbacong, also at barangay Gawaan.
The cadavers were brought to the Balbalan Town Hall for body cleaning, then to TAMPCO Funeral Care in Tabuk City for funeral services. Gonzalo was later transported to his residential home in Ammacian, Pinukpuk and “Pal-og” to Bulbul, Rizal municipality where they were buried.
Kalinga Congressman Allen Jesse Mangaoang and Governor James Edduba provided burial assistance to the two CTGs upon request of Balbalan Mayor Almar Malannag to defray the expenses.
Meanwhile, two former rebels were awarded benefits under the Enhanced Comprehensive Local Integration Program (ECLIP) on March 23 at the Office of the Governor. The FRs from Apatan, Pinukpuk and Mainit, Bontoc, Mountain Province, received P65,000.00 each representing immediate assistance of P15,000.00 and livelihood assistance of P50,000.00 to operate their own sari-sari store micro business.
Governor Edduba personally handed the checks to the beneficiaries, witnessed by members of the Provincial Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict
The Department of Social Welfare and Development is facilitating P20,000.00 additional livelihood package.
In a related development, another alleged CTG member identified as Alfonso Malayao Balicao, 51, resident of sitio Masaet, Mabaca, Balbalan was arrested on March 14, 2023 by virtue of a warrant of arrest.
Pulalon, during the conduct of the barangay general assembly at Gawaan, pleaded to everyone to relay the call of the government for those remaining CTGs operating in Balbalan municipality to peacefully return to the folds of the law. He assured everyone that they will not be harmed, and that they will be provided with livelihood assistance, among other government services should they decide to surrender.
“Our presence here in your area is to enforce our mandate to protect citizens from terrorist armed violence,” the army officer said stressing that they do not want the remaining CTGs to be killed. He said they look at these CTGs as just victims of the circumstances brought about by their indoctrination from communist ideology which is now being thrown away in the trash by former communist countries. **JDP/PAB-PIA CAR, Kalinga
