Decomposing cadaver of NPA member found in AgNor
CABADBARAN CITY, Agusan del Norte -- The 29th Infantry Battalion, under the 901st Infantry Brigade, 4th Infantry Diamond Division, together with 1305th Maneuver Company Regional Mobile Force Battalion 13 and the barangay local government unit of Maraiging in coordination with Philippine National Police Jabonga, conducted a retrieval operation to recover the human remains of a New People’s Army (NPA) member at Brgy. Maraiging, Jabonga, Agusan del Norte on Monday, February 7.
Despite being in a state of decomposition upon retrieval, the remains were identified as Elmer Delarmente Maisog alias @Ebok/Tawtaw, Vice Commanding Officer (VCO) of SYP16C2, GF16, NEMRC, Periodic Status Report (PSR) listed, a resident of Brgy. Bolhoon, San Miguel, Surigao del Sur. He was killed and left behind by NPA members after the attack of the Critical Infrastructure and Investment Protection Security Operations (CIIPSO) security personnel in Brgy. Maraiging last September 29, 2021.
On February 5, 2022, a former rebel alias @Dondon surrendered to the 29IB Headquarters. In his confession during the custodial debriefing, he said that he had direct participation during the attack to the security personnel of Brgy. Maraiging. He also stated that they buried the dead body of @Ebok/Tataw somewhere in Brgy. Maraiging.
Based on the custodial debriefing report, the revelation of alias @Dondon, the 29IB came up with a decision to exhume the human remains together with 1305th Maneuver Company Regional Mobile Force Battalion 13.
LtCol. Jason Saldua, the battalion commander of 29IB said in a statement that the discovery of the remains is proof of the NPA's cruelty to its members even upon their deaths.
"We were saddened about the gruesome death of @Ebok/Tawtaw, another life was wasted due to the deceitful and wrong belief that poisoned the minds of all NPA members. This act is a clear manifestation that shows how immoral the NPA’s are, for simply leaving the dead bodies of their comrades without giving respect to the families of those personalities whose lives were sacrificed in the wrong ideology of the CPP-NPA-NDF," LtCol. Saldua said.
"On the other hand, we would like to express our deepest gratitude to alias @Dondon and concerned civilians who tipped the troops. Their cooperation had led to a successful recovery of the remains and that we can give alias @Ebok/Tawtaw a decent burial," he added.
“To all others, I plead with you once again to surrender while there is still time. If you want to surrender, our doors are always opened-ready to accept you for the betterment of your future with your families. Waging war is never the solution to obtain peace. The government is waiting for you to return to the folds of law. It is extending its arms to support you in your desire for a better life with your family through the Enhanced Comprehensive Local Integration Program (E-CLIP). Just return to the folds of the law and mainstream society, for we are the same Filipinos hoping for the betterment of our country."
As of report date, the unit is finding the next of kin to claim the remains of the latter. (2Lt. Rose Ann Mae U. Cordova, CMO Officer, 29IB PA/PIA-Agusan del Norte)
