Rebel couple surrenders

CEBU, Philippines - Thoughts of their children’s future and aspirations to live a normal life led a couple leave the New People’s Army and return to the fold of law.

Aurello Botilla, 53, and his wife Merlinda, 39, formerly squad leaders of the NPA’s Section Committee 2 in the northern area of Cebu, surrendered to Catmon Mayor Estrella Aribal yesterday.

They were later escorted by Cebu Provincial Police Office director Carmelo Valmoria, Central Command deputy commander Gen. Jessie Dellosa and 78th Infantry Battalion commanding officer Lt. Col. Raymundo Bañares before Gov. Gwendolyn Garcia.

“I am appealing now to my other comrades to also surrender. I’m doing this for my family,” Aurello said. He has three children —a nine-year-old girl and two boys aged six and one and a half.

Aurello said his daughter wants to go to school but cannot continue her studies because of their involvement in the rebel movement.

“Sige man gud mi og balhin-balhin ug tago sa awtoridad. Grabe gyud kaayong nakaapekto sa ilang pag-eskwela. Dili nako mahatag ang maayong kinabuhi sa akong mga anak kung kami pabilin sa ingon niani,” he said, adding that his daughter is still in Grade 2 while his six year-old-son has never formally studied.

Aurello joined the propaganda movement of the NPA in 1991 in his hometown in Catmon after experiencing the abuse of some personnel of now-defunct Philippine Constabulary.

It was in the rebel movement that he met Merlinda and they got married.

But Aurello said he sensed being outside the law was not all he hoped it would be. In 2005, the couple started to lie low in the rebel movement.

“Gusto naming manginabuhing normal. Gikapoy nami magtago-tago. Mao nga ania kami mi-surrender tungod sa among pagsalig ni Mayor Aribal ug sa gobernador aron matagaan og kagawasan ang among kaugalingon,” Merlinda said.

Garcia already instructed her provincial social welfare to attend to the needs of the family such as food, milk and medicines.

She said she hopes that with this development other rebels will also surrender.

Valmoria said the couple surrendered a shotgun and a hand grenade. Since they have a pending warrant of arrest for murder, the couple will be brought to court before they will under the social integration program of the government.

The couple was charged for murder before Branch 25 of Danao City Regional Trial Court in relation to a 2002 attack in one of the mountain barangays of Carmen where four soldiers were killed. — Garry B. Lao/BRP   (THE FREEMAN)