SAN FERNANDO CITY – National Security Adviser Hermogenes C. Esperon Jr. announced the surrender on Tuesday of a high-ranking leader of the Communist Front Organization (CFO) in Region 1, and the Communist Party of the Philippines – New People’s Army (CCP-NPA) to government authorities.
National Security Adviser Hermogenes Esperon Jr. (JANSEN ROMERO / MANILA BULLETIN)
Esperon, who is also director-general of the National Security Council (NSC), said on Thursday that Mary Ann Gabayan, 44, with code name as Ka Gellie, secretary-general of Ilocos Human Rights Alliance’s (IHRA), took her oath of allegiance to the Republic of the Philippines through Ilocos Sur Governor Ryan Luis Singson at the capitol in Vigan City.
After her pledge of allegiance, Gabayan renounced her membership from CFO, and withdrew her support for the CPP-NPA.
“Mary Ann Gabayan, who was one of the speakers during protests’ rallies in Ilocos provinces against the government, expressed her full – support to the government, and she condemned the ideologies of the CPP-NPA-NDF (National Democratic Front) atrocities,” Esperon said.
Gabayan, after admitting that she was also a victim of deception undertaken by the terrorist group on its own mmbers, vowed to abandon the wrong ideologies instilled in her mind, and to support the programs of the government for peace and development under the Executive Order 70 or “whole-of-nation approach” in ending local communist armed conflict (ELCAC).
Moreover, she realized that what they were doing was not for the welfare of the people, and what they were espousing to the public were mere propaganda.
The atrocities they committed that involved hurting and even killing innocent civilians did not justify anything and never benefitted the people, Gabayan said.
Witnessing Gabayan’s oathtaking were mayor Leopoldo Gironella Jr. of Salcedo, Ilocos Sur; Barangay Chairman Girlie Garrido of Pias, Salcedo; Colonel Audrey L. Pasia, the brigade commander of the Army’s 702nd Brigade; Lieutenant Colonel Rodrigo A. Mariñas Jr., Commanding Officer of the Army’s 81st Infantry Battalion; and, Police Colonel Ysmael S. Yu, the acting provincial director, Ilocos Sur Police Provincial Office.
Gabayan’s withdrawal of support and membership from the Communist group followed deaths of Alias Guyo, Alias Unor and Alias Ricky, three of NPA’s top ranking leaders of Komiteng Larangang Gerilya Ilocos Sur in an encounter with the army and police on February 13; the surrender of Evaristo Boquing Jr, an influential former top ranking NPA in Ilocos Sur, on February 18; and, the final blow was when Reverend Pastor Jaypee Bulusan, Chairman of IHRA-Karapatan apologized to the people and also expressed his support to the government and vowed to encourage his church members to do the same during the inter-faith meeting held at Namoroc, Vintar, Ilocos Norte on February 22.
Meamwhile, Major General Lenard T. Agustin, the commander of the army’s 7th Infantry Division, lauded the local peace panel for their efforts and the relentless combat operations of army’s 702nd Infantry Brigade and the Philippine National Police counterparts in going after the CPP- NPA that destroy the peace and development of communities.
“The combined efforts of the army, police the LGUs yielded another withdrawal of support and membership from the CTGs by a hardened leader of the CTG’s front organization in Northern Luzon. Our efforts anchored with EO 70 will continue to be relentless and will be intensified in the coming days, so I am reiterating my call to the dwindling forces of the NPA and their supporters in Ilocos Sur and its adjacent provinces to surrender now or die in vain,” said Agustin.
Meanwhile, Pasia welcomed Gabayan’s decision to support the effort of the government instead of working for the terrorists.
“This is the situation we were hoping for, that the supporters of NPAs will realize their mistakes and withdraw their membership and support to the CTGs. In the coming days, we are expecting more surrenderers among NPAs and their supporters operating in Ilocos Sur and nearby provinces, as surrender fellers were already coming in bulk to my subordinate units’ headquarters,” said Pasia.
Pasia said the surrender of Gabayan was a big boost to their campaign in line with the Executive Order 70 or The-whole-of-nation-approach to end the local communist armed conflict.
“Gabayan pledged to denounce any invitation, participation and giving support to the CPP-NPA and instead, she will be giving her full support, commitment and cooperation to the Philippine Army, Philippine National Police and the government in maintaining peace and order of the province of Ilocos Sur and the rest of Region 1,” Pasia added.
After her pledge of allegiance, Gabayan renounced her membership from CFO, and withdrew her support for the CPP-NPA.
“Mary Ann Gabayan, who was one of the speakers during protests’ rallies in Ilocos provinces against the government, expressed her full – support to the government, and she condemned the ideologies of the CPP-NPA-NDF (National Democratic Front) atrocities,” Esperon said.
Gabayan, after admitting that she was also a victim of deception undertaken by the terrorist group on its own mmbers, vowed to abandon the wrong ideologies instilled in her mind, and to support the programs of the government for peace and development under the Executive Order 70 or “whole-of-nation approach” in ending local communist armed conflict (ELCAC).
Moreover, she realized that what they were doing was not for the welfare of the people, and what they were espousing to the public were mere propaganda.
The atrocities they committed that involved hurting and even killing innocent civilians did not justify anything and never benefitted the people, Gabayan said.
Witnessing Gabayan’s oathtaking were mayor Leopoldo Gironella Jr. of Salcedo, Ilocos Sur; Barangay Chairman Girlie Garrido of Pias, Salcedo; Colonel Audrey L. Pasia, the brigade commander of the Army’s 702nd Brigade; Lieutenant Colonel Rodrigo A. Mariñas Jr., Commanding Officer of the Army’s 81st Infantry Battalion; and, Police Colonel Ysmael S. Yu, the acting provincial director, Ilocos Sur Police Provincial Office.
Gabayan’s withdrawal of support and membership from the Communist group followed deaths of Alias Guyo, Alias Unor and Alias Ricky, three of NPA’s top ranking leaders of Komiteng Larangang Gerilya Ilocos Sur in an encounter with the army and police on February 13; the surrender of Evaristo Boquing Jr, an influential former top ranking NPA in Ilocos Sur, on February 18; and, the final blow was when Reverend Pastor Jaypee Bulusan, Chairman of IHRA-Karapatan apologized to the people and also expressed his support to the government and vowed to encourage his church members to do the same during the inter-faith meeting held at Namoroc, Vintar, Ilocos Norte on February 22.
Meamwhile, Major General Lenard T. Agustin, the commander of the army’s 7th Infantry Division, lauded the local peace panel for their efforts and the relentless combat operations of army’s 702nd Infantry Brigade and the Philippine National Police counterparts in going after the CPP- NPA that destroy the peace and development of communities.
“The combined efforts of the army, police the LGUs yielded another withdrawal of support and membership from the CTGs by a hardened leader of the CTG’s front organization in Northern Luzon. Our efforts anchored with EO 70 will continue to be relentless and will be intensified in the coming days, so I am reiterating my call to the dwindling forces of the NPA and their supporters in Ilocos Sur and its adjacent provinces to surrender now or die in vain,” said Agustin.
Meanwhile, Pasia welcomed Gabayan’s decision to support the effort of the government instead of working for the terrorists.
“This is the situation we were hoping for, that the supporters of NPAs will realize their mistakes and withdraw their membership and support to the CTGs. In the coming days, we are expecting more surrenderers among NPAs and their supporters operating in Ilocos Sur and nearby provinces, as surrender fellers were already coming in bulk to my subordinate units’ headquarters,” said Pasia.
Pasia said the surrender of Gabayan was a big boost to their campaign in line with the Executive Order 70 or The-whole-of-nation-approach to end the local communist armed conflict.
“Gabayan pledged to denounce any invitation, participation and giving support to the CPP-NPA and instead, she will be giving her full support, commitment and cooperation to the Philippine Army, Philippine National Police and the government in maintaining peace and order of the province of Ilocos Sur and the rest of Region 1,” Pasia added.
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