A FORMER top echelon officer of the Communist Party of the Philippines-New People’s Army-National Democratic Front (CPP-NPA-NDF) and his wife, a ranking regional party officer, gave themselves up to the provincial government of Bohol.
Roy Erecre, 52, a.k.a. “Ka Toto,” (his nom-de-guerre) reportedly the former peace consultant of the NDFP for Visayas, and his wife, Judith Jaron, 48, took their oath of allegiance before Gov. Aris Aumentado at the governor’s office this morning (Nov. 6).
The oath-taking was witnessed by Dept. of Interior and Local Government provincial director John Joan Mende, point person of ElCac Romy Truel, Provincial Social Welfare Development officer Mita Tecson, provincial administrator Asteria Caberte and media.
Erecre told brief media interview that he decided to yield and back to the fold, not only to seek amnesty, but he fervently trusted the governor and his administration. He said that his trust of the governor is rooted during the time of the governor’s father, the late Gov. Erico Boyles Aumentado, who helped broker the peace talks after the EDSA revolution in 1986.
He said it’s about time to give themselves up for good after he learned that the Local Amnesty Board led by the governor was created. He and his wife’s application for amnesty is expected to be processed and avail of the safe pass conduct (SPC).
When asked if he and his wife could be threatened by his former comrades-in-arms after their surrender, Erecre said in the negative confidently. He said that he and is wife have been laying low since 2017, which means they had no more contact with their former comrades-in-arms.
Erecre said in his statement he was illegally arrested in Davao City on May 20, 2014 for unbailable warrants for “robbery in band” and frustrated murder related to atrocities in Bohol in the late 1990s and early 2000s.
He alleged then that his arrest and detention at Bohol Detention Jail was a breach of the Joint Agreement on Security and Immunity Guarantees (JASIG). He was released on bail on September 19, 2014. (Ric Obedencio)
