Kalinaw News: Former NPA leader, turns 10ID soldier

Posted to Kalinaw News (Apr 28, 2022): Former NPA leader, turns 10ID soldier



MAWAB, Davao de Oro – “My passion and skills are exploited by the Communist Terrorist Group (CTG) and that is why I became a member of the New People’s Army. Now that I am a soldier, I can use my skills and knowledge to serve our country,” said Daniel Castillo, a former NPA leader after the Closing Ceremony of the Candidate Soldier Course held in Mawab, Davao De Oro on April 28, 2022.

Daniel Castillo alias Steven is a former Political Instructor of the Guerilla Front 55 of the CTG who surrendered to 10ID in November 2020. He is one of the 34 former rebels or otherwise known as “friends rescued” out of the 286 strong candidate soldiers who finished the six (6) month-long training at the 10th Division Training School.

Castillo admitted that transitioning from an NPA rebel into a surrenderor and subsequently into a candidate soldier is tough. “It is a regimented life, we have to wake up very early, we have to do drills, to exercise. We were taught different skills and techniques in order to survive a soldier’s life to prepare us sa future isip mga sundalo ng 10ID. For me the hardest part syempre is the adjustment from being a civilian to being a soldier, tapos syempre yung pakikisama ko rin sa mga kasama ko because of my background,” Castillo added.

Moreover, present during the ceremony is Paulette Castillo, Daniel’s mother, former Regional Peasant Secretariat of the Southern Mindanao Regional Committee (SMRC) who served in the CTG for 30 years and surrendered in July 2021.

“Siyempre karon nalipay kog maayo nga nag sundalo na siya, syempre compared kung Bagong Hukbong Bayan (BHB) siya. Syempre nagpapasalamat ako sa EO70, NTF-ELCAC kasi kung walang NTF-ELCAC malamang hindi makakapag sundalo ang anak ko at hindi rin siya mag susurender,” said Paulette Castillo in vernacular.

Meanwhile, aside from Castillo, Gelejurain I Ngujo, former Supply Officer of Guerilla Front 55, and twin brother of Gelejurain II who was killed in a clash in February 2020 in New Bataan, Davao De Oro also graduated from the same class.

[Kalinaw News is the official online source of information on the pursuit for peace in the Philippines This website is a property of the Civil-Military Operations Regiment, Philippine Army located at Lawton Avenue, Fort Bonifacio, Taguig City Contact us: kalinawnews@cmoregiment.com]

https://www.kalinawnews.com/former-npa-leader-turns-10id-soldier/