For the military, Arayat town is a ‘terrifying’ place

ARAYAT, Pampanga — "A terrifying place."

This was how Army officials described this town, noting the series of killings of innocent civilians and suspected supporters of five armed outlawed groups here.

Lt. Col. Ricardo Visaya, commander of the 69th Infantry Battalion operating here, said the latest victim of violence was barangay councilman Alter Cruz who was shot and critically wounded by four men while he was jogging at the town plaza last Thursday morning.

Visaya said scores of people have been killed in the past several years arising from rivalries among the five groups, namely the New People’s Army (NPA), the Rebolusyonaryong Hukbong Bayan (RHB), the Rebolusyonaryong Samahang Anak Pawis (RSAP), the Hukbong Mapagpalaya ng Bayan (HMB), and the Rebolusyonaryong Gerilya ng Arayat (RGA).

But Visaya told reporters the other day that at least one of the five groups has been virtually dismantled after its top leader surrendered to the military.

Norberto Lumbang, 36, leader of the RGA, gave himself up to the 703rd Infantry Brigade and yielded three high-powered firearms, 12 magazines and four flashlights.

Army Col. Pedro Curva, commander of the 703rd IB, presented Lumbang to Maj. Gen. Crisolito Balaoing, commanding general of the 7th Infantry Division, after his surrender.

At a press conference, Lumbang said he was out on bail on two charges of illegal possession of firearms, attempted murder and frustrated homicide.

He was tagged as behind the failed ambush on re-elected Arayat Mayor Luis Espino before the May 10 elections.

"I responded to the call of the government to stop the killings in Arayat because the killings have gone too far. I want the rival groups to talk and stop the killings," Lumbang said.

Visaya said Lumbang’s surrender has virtually dismantled the RGA.

He said Lumbang used to belong to the NPA until he surrendered and became a member of the Civilian Armed Force Geographical Unit (CAFGU).

When the CAFGU was dismantled in 1999, he and other rebel returnees were compelled to arm themselves amid threats from their former NPA comrades who considered them traitors, Visaya said.

Visaya said Arayat has become "a terrifying place" because of the rivalry among the five armed groups.

"The groups are known to threaten the lives of anyone whom they suspect of being members of or sympathetic to rival groups. Many people have been killed in the past several years, and their remains have been found in mass graves," he said.

Lumbang told military officials he would help them initiate a dialogue with leaders of the different armed groups "for the sake of peace."

Visaya said about 30 RSAP members are fully armed as with 20 members of the NPA, 15 of the HMB, and nine of the RHB.

He identified a certain Amor Adona as the local NPA head.

On the other hand, Bon Alejandrino heads the HMB, his brother Dindo, the RSAP; and Domingo Tarektekan, the RHB.

While the military welcomes Lumban’s plan to unite the different armed groups, Visaya said he should face the charges against him in court. — With Benjie Villa