Is it real? I hope not

Three rebels killed By Jhunnex Napallacan Cebu Daily News First Posted 14:38:00 09/22/2008 CEBU CITY, Philippines - Three alleged communist rebels were killed in an encounter in Dauin town, Negros Oriental last week. One of them was allegedly the 21-year-old daughter of a former municipal councilor who was among the 27,000 successful examinees of the June 2008 Nursing Licensure Examination. But the family of Rachelle Mae Palang could not confirm if one of the three bodies found in Barangay Malungkay-Daku, Dauin belonged to her. Her family could not also believe that Rachelle was a member of the New People's Army (NPA) as claimed by the military, said former Consolacion vice mayor Teresa Alegado, a distant aunt of the victim. What the family knew was that Rachelle went on a medical mission either in Negros or Mindoro, she added. Lieutenant Colonel Bernard Neri, head of the 79th Infantry Battalion, said Palang was identified through her voter's identification card found in her possession. They later discovered that Palang belonged to the NPA Southeast Front of the Komiteng Rehiyon ng Sentral Visayas. “She was part of the group. We seized from her possession an M16 rifle,” Neri said. Neri said the two other fatalities were identified as Federico Villalongha alias Ka Edong, Ka Ebong, and Ka Hansel; and Gerry Cabangay, alias Abel. Villalongha was reportedly the leader of about 15 rebels who were figured in the encounter in Dauin. It was not known where he hailed from but human rights group Karapatan said he was from Bohol. Cabangay, on the other hand, reportedly came from Barangay Luz, Cebu City, the military said last night. Human rights group Karapatan would look into the alleged encounter in Dauin. Dennis Abarrientos, Karapatan secretary general in Central Visayas, said they could not confirm if one of the fatalities was Palang. But he said they were told by a relative of Villalongha that his first name was Bernardo and not Federico as claimed by the military. According to Neri, the military received information about the presence of armed rebels in Barangay (village) Malungkay-Daku, Dauin on September 18. The NPA rebels were reportedly collecting food items in the barangay and at the same time, were organizing the residents in the village. The military deployed soldiers in the forested area in the area. A 45-minute exchange of gunfire ensued. When the smoke cleared, the soldiers found three bodies and brought these to the Clarin Funeral Homes in Dumaguete City. Neri said the soldiers recovered two M16 rifles and an M14 rifle from the fatalities. Also seized were subversive documents, personal belongings, medical paraphernalia, back packs and hammocks. According to Neri, Rachelle was identified through her voter's ID. But he added they were positive of Rachelle's participation in the underground movement. “She was in the area. She had a firearm...M16,” he said. Neri said he received information that Rachelle was a new nurse and a niece of a bishop. A background check showed that the brother of Rachelle's father is Bishop Tony Palang, who is assigned in Luzon. Rachelle's name was number 19,585 in the June 2008 Nursing Licensure Examination. She was the daughter of former Consolacion municipal councilor Elenito Palang and Municipal Planning Officer Sally Palang. The second of four siblings, Rachelle graduated valedictorian from Mandaue City Science High School. She was in the dean's list when she was a Nursing student at Velez College. “Buotan man ning bataa. Although outspoken man ni siya, buotan man ni ug bright (She was a good girl. Although she was outspoken, she was a good and bright girl),” said vice mayor Alegado. “Ambot lang lagi uy, di man ta kahibawo sa kalihukan sa mga batan-on ug unsay mga circumstances (I don't know. We don't know the activities of the youth today and their circumstances),” Alegado said. Joannes Alegado, the former vice mayor's son, said he could not believe that Rachelle joined the NPA. Joannes said that after graduating from Nursing, Rachelle planned to study Medicine because she wanted to be physician. “Maglisod lagi 'mi og tuo, kay buotan man ni siya unya adto ra na siya sa eskwelahan (We have difficulty believing it because she was such a good person and she would just stay in school),” he said. But he said Rachelle was an officer of the College Editors' Guild of the Philippines (CEGP), an alliance of tertiary campus publications nationwide. Angelica, Joannes' sister and a classmate of Rachelle in Velez College, said she could not say if Rachelle was a CEGP officer but said her slain relative was an editor of the school's publication. A source in the military said Rachelle was vice president of CEGP in Central Visayas. Cebu Daily News (CDN) called Rachelle's home in North Road, Consolacion town. But the woman, who answered the call, was reluctant to give information and passed the phone to another person. The woman, who claimed to be the family helper, said the Palang couple went to Negros but refused to give details. CDN called up Alegado who said she had no idea what happened to Rachelle. She said she and daughter Angelica were in their car, heading home. In the second call to Alegado, Angelica could be heard crying at the background. Asked why Angelica was crying, the former vice mayor said Rachelle was not just a cousin but also a close friend of her daughter. When called the former vice mayor the third time, she said she was on her way to the funeral homes to confirm if the body belonged to Rachelle. Alegado said she talked to Rachelle's mother Sally on the phone and was told that they were bringing the body to a funeral home. She said Sally could hardly talk and was very emotional over what happened. “Ingon siya unya ra ta mag-estorya, kay hasta siya di siya kasabot (She told me that we would talk later because even she could not understand),” Alegado said. Asked if Rachelle was the same woman who was killed in the encounter, the former vice mayor replied: “maybe.”

**** I just can't believe it. I've met Ate Rachelle during the Student Press Congress in Davao City last May and she was alright. I can't say much about her because I don't know her that much. I only know she's from Velez college and she's the one we have to get in touch with (aside from Kim) whenever we need something or wants to ask something. But hearing this story and seeing the actual picture of the corpse makes it so unbelievable. I don't know if its really her or not but just imagining it makes me really sad. It feels so different hearing the news when you've actually met the person, talked to her, laughed with her...