INDIGNATION RALLY. Residents and officials in the Surigao del Norte town of Sison town hold an indignation rally Wednesday afternoon (August 19, 2020) condemning the communist New People’s Army for the killing of Police Staff Segeant Restie Dandan, a member of the local police. Dandan was abducted by suspected NPA rebels on July 31 and his body was found 18 days after in the neighboring town of Mainit, Surigao del Norte. (Photo courtesy of 901Bde)
BUTUAN CITY – Residents of the Surigao del Norte town of Sison held an indignation rally against the communist New People’s Army (NPA) over the killing of Police Staff Sergeant Restie Dandan, who was found dead on Aug. 19, 18 days after his abduction by armed men believed to be NPA rebels .
Col. George L. Banzon, commander of the Army's 901st Infantry Brigade (901Bde), expressed support to the move of local residents in the area, which was led by the local government.
“We laud the efforts of the LGU and civilians for condemning the atrocity made by the communist terrorists. This is the right time to be united and stand against the abuses and violence of the Communist NPA Terrorists (CNTs),” Banzon said in a statement Thursday.
He said the people of Surigao "are peace-loving people and do not deserve to be terrorized just to force them to support the CNT’s twisted ideology.”
Banzon said the unified stand of the residents, the municioal government, the Army and other community stakeholders against the atrocities of the communist rebels was "the right thing to do."
Wednesday's rally was led by Sison Mayor Karissa R. Fetalvero-Paronia together with the other local and police officials, led by Captain Giovanni M. Tindoy, chief of Sison Municipal Police Station.
Aside from the residents, representatives from the religious sector and other stakeholders also joined the indignation rally.
Dandan was abducted by suspected NPA rebels on July 31 and his body was found last August 18 in Sitio Napo, Barangay Matin-ao, Mainit, Surigao del Norte.
The Army said Dandan was abducted and killed by the members of Guerilla Front 16 of the NPA under a certain Rolando Leyson Jr.
Leyson, the Army said, is known in the town of Sison as he was born and raised in the municipality.
In the same statement Thursday, Tindoy condemned the "inhumane act committed by the NPA. PSSgt. Dandan was a good public servant in the town of Sison and a responsible family man."
Paronia, meanwhile, condemned "to the highest degree" Dandan's killing, describing it as "a grave disrespect against human life and an act of terrorism."
“We want justice, the family needs justice,” the mayor added.
The NPA is listed as a terrorist organization by the United States, the European Union, the United Kingdom, Australia, Canada, New Zealand, and the Philippines. (PNA)
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