GRIEVING parents buried two female New Peoples Army rebels away from public view after asking the military not to reveal their identities to avoid being mocked on social media.
Brigadier General Michele Anayron Jr., commanding general of the Army 403rd Infantry Brigade said they agreed to the requests of the parents out of compassion.
The two female NPA members were among the seven rebels killed during a series of encounters with the military in Butuan City, Misamis Oriental, and Bukidnon last week.
Anayron said they have identified the identities of the two female rebels and found out they were former students of prominent schools in Iligan and Cagayan de Oro cities.
He said army soldiers brought the bodies to their respective parents after former NPA rebels who were their former companions identified them.
Anayron said the female NPA rebel who was slain in Sitio Malinao, Barangay Kalasungay, Malaybalay City on June 17, was a former student of Mindanao State University-Iligan Institute of Technology in Iligan City.
“Her father told us that she joined the NPA rebels in 2017 and that was the last time they saw her,” Anayron said.
Lt. Col. Christian Uy, commander of the 58th Infantry Battalion said the female NPA rebel who was killed in an encounter in Sitio Kalhaan, Barangay Minalwan on June 16, was also buried by her parents in Gingoog City.
Uy said the dead female rebel was also a former student of Xavier University in Cagayan de Oro City.
“Her parents asked us not to make her identity public because some of her siblings are still studying in school. They want to spare them from public ridicule on social media,” Uy said.
Elsewhere, Major Francisco Garello Jr., spokesperson of the 4th Infantry Division said Army soldiers also buried in Butuan City last Wednesday the two NPA leaders who were among the seven killed by the military in Sitio Dugyaman, Barangay Anticala, also in Butuan City.
Garello said the two NPA leaders were identified as Roel Arellano Maglasang alias Do/Dali, a resident of Asuncion town, Davao del Norte, and his wife, Raylin Zubiri alias Apple, of Gigaquit town, Surigao del Norte.
He said a total of 30 high-powered firearms were seized by the soldiers in the clash at Barangay Anticala. These included seven AK-47 rifles, four M4 rifles, four AR18n rifles, One M16 rifle, two 14 rifles, and two M16 rifles with attached M203 grenade launchers.
