Slain rebel not an Ateneo student
By Aurea A. Gerundio

http://www.sunstar.com.ph/static/net/2005/...eo.student.html

DAVAO CITY -- The 22-year-old female who was one of three suspected communist rebels slain in a clash with government troops in Bukidnon Saturday was not a student of the Ateneo de Davao University, said a school official.

University registrar Rene Villarente denied military reports that one of the three slain rebels, identified as Jane Quintos of San Fernando in Bukidnon, was an Ateneo student based on a school ID card found in her possession.

"In Manila, one can even produce any ID card in Recto. Dito sa Davao meron din. It is possible na hindi totoo 'yong ID. (We have this in Davao, too. It's possible the ID was fake.) Our records also show that she was not an Ateneo student," Villarente said.

Computer records provided by Marie Lanaban, a secretary at the registrar's office, showed there was only one Quintos listed since 1996. Her name is Maria Bettina.

Major Jose Maria Cuerpo II, chief of the military's 5th Civil Relations Group (CRG), said earlier that based on the information they gathered, Quintos was a student of the university.

Aside from Quintos, two more were killed in the gun battle but they remain unidentified as of Thursday.

Cuerpo said they were also supporters of the communist New People's Army (NPA).

"It is a very disheartening news to the parents of the students, and we pour our sympathies, but we also urge their active participation to guide and warn their children from being used by deceitful NPA terrorists. Let's join hands and together stop them (NPA) before another son or daughter dies," Cuerpo said.

He said they received reports that more or less 20 students were part of the rebel group involved in the encounter.

Lieutenant Colonel Alan Rojo, chief of the Army's 26th Infantry Battalion (IB) based in Sitio Matanaw, Barangay Halapitan, San Fernando Bukidnon, said the 26th IB's Charlie Company led by Lieutenant Jose Gilbuela chanced upon more or less 80 heavily armed rebels belonging to the NPA's Front Committee 52 of Pulang Bagani Command 1 led by Leonardo Pitao alias Kumander Parago in Sitio Gopako, Barangay Sinuda, Kitaotao, Bukidnon.

Rojo said the rebels ran out of ammunition during the two-hour firefight prompting them to withdraw.

Army troops are still conducting hot pursuit operation against the rebels.

Carrying an Ateneo ID? Must have been a troll from Lasalle or UP.

There is no La Salle in Davao. UP Mindanao is mainly for graduate studies.

I'm not exactly a troll, but I'm from UP. That wasn't nice. We're past the age of breeding revolutionaries to feed all these cheap revolutions once ascribed to us.

I'm from UP too and I'm a troll (in a way). What I'm saying is rebels and criminals don't wear uniforms. That's why the issue of whether or not the rebel was from Ateneo is a silly one.