A FEMALE New People’s Army (NPA) member who was the daughter of a Bayan Muna partylist representative was killed in an encounter on Saturday between government forces and the communist movement in Surigao del Sur, military officials said Sunday.
Authorities identified the dead as Jevilyn Campos Cullamat, or “Ka Reb,” 22, who served as an NPA medic and under the Sandatahang Yunit Pampropaganda (SYP) Platoon of Guerilla Front 19, Northeastern Regional Committee (NEMRC).
“She (was) the youngest daughter of Bayan Muna Partylist Rep. Eufemia Cullamat,” said Army’s 3rd Special Forces Battalion (3SFBn) civil-military officer 1st Lieutenant Krisjuper Andreo Punsalan.
Punsalan said the NPA rebel member Jevilyn was killed in a 45-minute clash against the soldiers on Saturday, (Nov. 28).
The remains of the dead NPA rebel's identity was even confirmed by 9 former rebels, according to Punsalan.
Jevilyn was immediately evacuated and her siblings and members of her family were immediately notified prior to the release of the report, he said.
“The military provided security and transportation assistance to the Cullamat family and coordinated with the nearest mortuary for the proper handling of the cadaver,” said Punsalan.
Punsalan said Jevilyn was also a known student of NPA-linked schools of TRIFPSS and ALCADEV.
After the clash, Punsalan said several firearms were recovered that include 4 IHL-banned improvised explosive devices, 3 AK-47 rifles, 1 M14 rifle, and 1 M653 5.56 caliber rifle.
Five backpacks containing combat equipment and subversive documents were also seized, said Punsalan.
Punsalan did not confirm if Jevilyn's group was the same NPA unit who slayed the late Lianga Indigenous Peoples Mandatory Representative (IPMR), Datu Jumar S. Bucales in October, this year.
"Allegedly there are reports, but still the investigation is ongoing. That is what one of the investigators is now looking at," said Punsalan.
Punsalan said that the NPA has admitted the slaying of Datu Bucales on October 4.
Bucales was a staunch advocate of IP rights and a vocal critic of Rep. Cullamat, according to Punsalan.
"The killings of Bucales angered the tribal communities all over Surigao Del Sur," he said.
They even vowed to help authorities in tracking down the communist NPA rebels who mercilessly, brutally killed IP leaders and members who were against their violent and terrorist movement.
“We will never stop the fight against these NPA terrorists until none of them roams in our ancestral lands,” said Alexander Bucales, the brother of Datu Jumar.
“They have destroyed our culture and tradition and caused divisiveness and corrupted our tribe,” said Bucales, who is now the newly-installed and clan-elected IPMR of Lianga.
Meanwhile, 3SFB commander Lt. Colonel Joey B. Baybayan urged other remaining NPA rebels to surrender because they were already at the losing ground.
“The series of attacks made by the NPA only indicate that they are desperate and on the losing end,” said Baybayan.
He said the National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (NTF-ELCAC) is gaining ground deep within the heart of conflict-affected IP communities in Andap Valley.
Army’s 401st Brigade commander Brigadier General Allan D. Hambala also extendede sincerest condolences to the Cullamat family.
“We are saddened because we know that she and her family were just victims of the communist NPA terrorist’s destructive and pointless ideology,” said Hambala.
He said that while there are issues concerning the IPs, violent, armed, and terrorist struggle will never be the right solution to it.
“We also call on the nation to support the NTF-ELCAC, to peacefully address the root causes of NPA terrorism and eventually end conflict here in Northern Mindanao,” said Hambala. (Ben Balce)
