From the Philippine News Agency (Dec 13): Army save(s) life of wounded NPA rebel in
North Cotabato
For decades, communist rebel Renante Dalon has been celebrating Christmas in the
mountains of North Cotabato and dreaming of having "noche buena" with his
family, friends and parents.
Now, Dalon, 46, who was injured during military operations against the New
People's Army (NPA) in Magpet, North Cotabato two weeks ago, may celebrate
Christmas with his loved ones.
He is now undergoing medical treatment at a military hospital here and
enjoying a new lease in life.
Dalon was rescued by soldiers after he was abandoned by fleeing comrades
following a bloody encounter two weeks ago at the foot of the country's highest
peak, Mt. Apo, where the Army intensified its offensive against guerrillas.
"I was bloodied, wounded, hurt and I just stared at soldiers surrounding me
as if waiting for them to finish me off," Dalon told reporters from his hospital
bed at Camp Siongco Station Hospital inside the 6th Infantry Division
headquarters.
"Instead they carried me to a safe place, gave me first aid and evacuated me
to the Camp Siongco Hospital using a helicopter...they treated me humanely. I
never expected this,” Delon tearfully said in the vernacular.
Delon served as finance officer of about 200 rebels belonging to the NPA's
Front 74.
The group has been known as the most undisciplined guerrillas having
victimized hapless civilians in the borders of North Cotabato and Davao del Sur.
They collect money, forcibly, from communities, especially during harvest
seasons, according to Colonel Prudencio Asto, spokesperson of the 6th Infantry
Division.
Dalon could not control his tears when 6th ID chief Maj. Gen. Ronnie Ordoyo
and Philippine Army commanding general Lt. Gen. Emmanuel Bautista visited him.
The ranking officials offered Dalon a bagful of grocery items, clothing and
other items that touched him so much.
Ordoyo told Gen. Bautista that Dalon sustained bullet wounds in his legs when
elements of the Army Scout Rangers, 40th, 57th and Army Special Forces clashed
with about 200 NPA guerillas in the mountains of Magpet.
Dalon admitted that rebels have been suffering from depleted financial
resources and they resorted to forced taxation on civilians.
He was armed with an AK-4 Kalashnikov that ran out of ammunition when the
soldiers found him. He was abandoned by his comrades when they saw him fell
following a close combat battle.
He recalled that a comrade who fell with him, Commander Nikoy, died before
the soldiers arrived.
Dalon said life in the mountains have been so difficult that they don't have
food and medicines during emergencies.
"We do not have medicine even for ordinary diseases like dysentery and body
pain or stomach problem," he said.
Dalon, a native of Magsaysay, Davao del Sur, joined the communist movement in
1993 after working in a paper company in Valenzuela. He returned to Mindanao and
joined the movement.
Afraid his comrades will execute him if he returns to the mountains, Dalon
said he will migrate to other places along with his two sisters who are both
preachers of a religious group in Davao del Sur "to start a new life."
http://www.pna.gov.ph/index.php?idn=2&sid=&nid=2&rid=479691
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