Key Philippine Military and Insurgency-Related Events: Kalinaw News: Armed former TRIFPSS teacher surrenders in Surigao del Sur

Wednesday, August 21, 2019

Kalinaw News: Armed former TRIFPSS teacher surrenders in Surigao del Sur

Posted to Kalinaw News (Aug 21, 2019): Armed former TRIFPSS teacher surrenders in Surigao del Sur

TAGO, Surigao del Sur, Aug 20 – a former teacher of the Tribal Filipino Program of Surigao del Sur (TRIFPSS) voluntarily surrendered to the Army’s 36th Infantry (Valor) Battalion bringing along with him one (1) carbine and magazine with ammunition yesterday, August 19, 2019, at H36IB, Brgy Dayoan, Tago, this province.

The said armed TRIFPSS teacher is identified as Alias Val, 25 yrs old, single, Manobo and a resident of So. Baroboan, Brgy Carromata, San Miguel, SDS. He is a former Milisyang Bayan (MB) of, SYP-I, SRC 2130 of the North Eastern Mindanao Regional Committee (NEMRC).

Accordingly, Val was recruited as TRIFPSS teacher from May 20, 2012, to Jan 25 2017. He was being promised by his recruiters that his families will be financially supported while he is teaching and serving the armed struggle. .

Due to the non-operationalization of the TRIFPSS schools at So Baroboan because of the campaign of the 36IB and the IP leaders in partnership with the DepEd in putting up DepEd accredited schools or School of Living Tradition (SLT), @ Val decided to continue to serve the armed struggle as Milisyang Bayan from February 2017 to March 2019.

He surrendered because he wants to live in peace and harmony without fear to the security forces. He also wants to help the government in the pursuit of achieving a genuine peace and preserving the cultural integrity of every IP community.

“I want to take part and help the government to combat insurgency especially to my fellow IPs because I saw that the government is serious in helping the marginalized sector of the society especially the IP communities,” Alias Val said.

In his statement, Ltc Xerxes Trinidad, Commanding Officer, 36IB said, that the surrender is a clear manifestation that the NPA is using TRIPFSS schools as their breeding ground for their future cadres and fighters.

“Alias Val is a proof that there is a link and support system between the TRIFPSS schools and the NPA Communist Terrorist Group,” Ltc Trinidad said.

He further added that the radicalization process is being thought at TRIPFSS schools through poisoning the innocent minds and instilling hatred to the government.

TRIFPSS schools are at the center of CPP-NPA bases for exploitation of the IPs who are being radicalized at a very young age by CPP-NPA supporters who pose as concerned teachers. The indoctrination is meant to prepare the IP youth to become NPA cadre in the future.

Alias Val is still undergoing custodial debriefing and interview. He will be process and validated for enrollment to avail the ECLIP of the government (1lt Jonald Romorosa, CMO, 36IB)