SAN FERNANDO CITY, La Union, July 27 –- The police in La Union is winning the war against insurgency with the recent surrender of two rebel leaders operating in the province.
Senior Supt. Noli Talino, police provincial director, said those who surrendered are members of the Marxista Leninista Partido ng Pilipinas-Rebolusyonaryong Hukbong Bayan (MLPP-RHB).
The two are Randy Gasparin, alias “Ka Jack”, a former squad leader; and Liza Pasian, alias “Ka Irish” and “Liza”.
Both were working under a certain Francisco Ramos alias “Ka Putol” whose group is operating in La Union and nearby provinces.
Supt. Jacquelino Lagiwid, chief of the provincial intelligence branch of the La Union police, said the two were listed in the order of battle of the military and in the watchlist of the La Union Police Provincial Office.
Gasparin and Pasian claimed that they left the rebel movement because they can no longer endure life in the mountains playing “hide and seek” with government troopers and now wanted to live a peaceful life.
In the tactical interrogation, the two admitted that they were taught on how to use firearms, self-defense techniques,how to become propagandists and learned maneuvering tactics.
They said they kept on transferring from place to place while collecting goods for their supply and in recruiting minors from the province of La Union and Cordillera Region.
Informed about the two rebel returnees, La Union Governor Manuel Ortega commended the La Union Police Provincial Office for its aggressive campaign against insurgency.
Ortega encouraged other rebels to follow the example set by their two comrades and also lay down their firearms for them to live peacefully.
“I salute our policemen. They have done a good job. I take pride in them and I fully support their initiative against anti-insurgency,” Ortega said.
