Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio visited the former secretary of New People’s Army (NPA) Guerilla Front 55, Arian Jane O. Ramos, alias Marikit, at the headquarters of Philippine Army’s 1003rd Infantry Brigade (IB) on Saturday (September 11).
To recall, Marikit surrendered to government troops in August of this year after years of sowing terror in the hinterlands of Paquibato District in Davao City together with her late husband “Ka Rommel”.
The meeting that had been arranged by the brigade was to maximize the potential of Marikit in Paquibato District after the latter started giving vital information and suggestions in making lasting peace in the area of responsibility (AOR).
Maj. Ronel Legarde, spokesman of 1003rd IB, said the meeting aims to end the decades-long struggle of insurgency to eventually bring peace in Paquibato District and the entire city.
Legarde said Marikit promised to continue her advocacy in serving the IP communities by extending a hand to the government for a better and bigger purpose.
During the meeting, Marikit encouraged the remaining NPA rebels to come down and avail themselves of government programs through Enhanced-Comprehensive Local Integration Program (E-CLIP) and be reunited with their families and loved ones.
“For the students, let us continue to be critical and focus on our studies. I encouraged activism but let us not come into the point that we are at the brink of thinking about life or death,” she said.
Marikit also called on businessmen to continue to extend investment towards the development and even encouraged them not to give into the demands of the extortion of any groups or organizations particularly using her name.
“I have no consent, I am already at the right track under the 1003rd Brigade and City Government of Davao for a sustaining peace, security and development,” Marikit said.
Sara, meanwhile said that with the surrender of Marikit, the insurgency in Paquibato District finally ends.
The mayor assured that all the programs and projects for peace and development for the Indigenous People (IP) communities in the area will be fully implemented.
Prior to joining armed struggle, Marikit was a scholar of the UP-Mindanao who took-up Bachelor of Arts major in Communication Arts and had been indoctrinated with educational discussions about women and later immersed in the IP communities.
In 2012, Marikit joined the legal organization Gabriela Youth as the voice of the youth and facilitated mass rallies condemning the government. A year later, she was exposed in the armed group in the area of White Kulaman, Arakan Valley, North Cotabato of Guerilla Front 53.
She became full time member of Sandatahang Yunit Propaganda (SYP) of GF55, appointed as Giyang Pampulitika (Political Guide) and at the same time member of Platoon Committee in 2014 and then became an active leader of the communist group in Paquibato area.
In 2020 alone, Marikit experienced 9 encounters with the government troops, suffering hunger, sleepless nights, and being alone which made her decide to return to the folds of the law.
