Daniel Bandalan alias Ka Regoy was reportedly buried by his comrades four months ago, according to a former rebel who provided the information to the army.
Former NPA combatants, alias Piyot and alias Emil who were among those rebels who buried Regoy said that he was buried in a shallow grave in Sta. Felomina, Quezon, Bukidnon in September 2021.
10th Infantry Division (ID) spokesman Captain Mark Anthony Tito said that Regoy reportedly died of tuberculosis.
Tito said Regoy did not get proper medical attention due to the continued hiding of the group in the hinterlands of Bukidnon.
Regoy served as commanding officer of NPA’s Guerilla Front (GF) 55 under Sub-Regional Committee 5, Southern Mindanao Regional Committee.
His remains were immediately handed over to his family and were given a decent burial at Barangay Dao, San Fernando in the said province.
Ka Regoy’s aunt, Hermolina Bandalan, an Indigenous People’s Mandatory Representative (IPMR) in Quezon town, said her last meeting with Regoy was in 2013.
“My question to Ka Regoy is that why did he still join the armed movement when in fact his uncle was killed by the same armed group,” Bandalan said in vernacular.
Alias Marikit, former GF 55 Secretary said the arrogance of the CPP-NPA-NDF leadership alongside its internal conflict among its cadres are the reasons for the demise of Ka Regoy.
“Namatay po si Ka Regoy dahil po sa internal conflict sa loob ng unit dahil sa mga personal na problema nila Ka Berto, Ka Lira, Ka Jose, Ka Mandi dahil hindi na nila kayang humawak ng mga kasamahan at mismong masa, nahihirapan na silang analisahin ang bagong kumpas ng gyera,” Marikit said.
1003rd commander Colonel Consolito Yecla thanked the former rebels who helped them in the retrieval of Regoy’s body.
Major General Ernesto C Torres Jr. meanwhile said the death of Regoy is a reflection of the communist terrorist group’s selfishness with no regard for needs and the value of human life.
“Despite the significant contribution of Ka Regoy to their group, the leadership of Communist Terrorist Group (CTG) in Southern Mindanao neglected the value of their comrade’s life in exchange for their self-gain,” Torres added.
The 10th ID, he said, has rescued numerous former CTG members and provided them sufficient medical attention which saved their lives and transformed their way of living.
Photos: 10th ID