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| Southeast Asia |
| Ex-NPA leader still a wanted man |
| 2002-08-11 |
| Speaking of which... Cesar Pe Benito Baroña, a Tingguian tribesman who was known as Ka Yukan to his comrades and local folk, was one of the most wanted communist guerrilla leaders in the Cordillera. The authorities offered a P70,000 reward for his capture. When he decided to give up the fight in 1995 and applied for amnesty, Baroña thought his days as rebel were all behind him, that the government would give him a clean slate. The slate, it turns out, is far from clean. Because of some bureaucratic foul-up, Baroña’s name has appeared in the police list of Cordillera’s most wanted criminals. His name and photo appear in posters all over the region, including his home province in Abra. Dontcha hate it when that happens?... Far from having peace of mind, the 56-year-old Baroña fears he could be arrested anytime by overzealous policemen. Worse, he is afraid his former reputation could eventually get him killed. Things look different when you're 56 than they do when you're 26. Your knees and back work better, too. 'Course, you don't believe it when you're 26... When he decided to give himself up, he asked Abra Gov. Vicente Valera to accompany him to the police headquarters in Camp Crame. Baroña surrendered his M-16 rifle. Baroña applied for the amnesty being offered by the Ramos government. He was taken in three years later. He received the papers from the National Amnesty Board last Feb. 18. Early this month, word reached Baroña he was included in the Cordillera police’s most wanted list. He said he thought the criminal cases filed against him when he was still a New People’s Army guerrilla had been cleared when he sought amnesty. As a fellow old guy, I hope they get it cleared up for him. But if they don't, and he does end up getting popped, well, the people he killed are still dead, aren't they? |
| Posted by:Fred Pruitt |