SURIGAO CITY — The elder brother of slain top rebel leader Jorge “Ka Oris” Madlos expressed his dismay over the positive result of COVID-19 and the eventual cremation of his body.
In an interview with local journalists, retired engineer Vicente Madlos criticized the military for their failure to inform them of the whereabouts of the remains of slain the slain rebel.
“Rito (youngest of Madlos siblings) went to the area where “Ka Oris” was found dead and he even went up to military camps in Bukidnon for two days but no remains of Ka Oris (was) to be found,” he told reporters who were at his residence.
The 72-year-old, Siargao-born rebel leader was killed on Friday, October 29, along with an aide, in what the military claimed to be a clash between rebel and government forces in Sitio Gabunan, Barangay Dumalaguing, Impasug-ong, Bukidnon. The military said their bodies were recovered the following day.
The NDF refuted this claim, saying the ailing Madlos and his medical aide, identified by the military as Eighfel Dela Peña, were killed in an ambush on Friday night.
According to Ka Oris’ wife, Maria Malaya, National Democratic Front spokesperson for Northeast Mindanao, Madlos and Dela Peña were on a motorcycle on their way to get medical treatment, and never reached the highway.
“Ka Oris” was found to have been infected with the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) after swab samples taken from his body were tested by the Philippine Red Cross’s molecular laboratory, the military said.
Brig. Gen. Ferdinand Barandon, commander of the 403rd Infantry Brigade based in Malaybalay City, said it has been standard operating procedure for the military to test captured or killed New People’s Army rebels for COVID-19 after many of the guerillas were found positive following a series of encounters in Bukidnon last September.
The remains of Ka Oris were cremated Tuesday afternoon at the crematorium of the Divine Shepherd Memorial Chapels in Bulua, Cagayan de Oro City, according to Divine Shepherd documents provided by the military.
“How are we so sure that the ashes they will be giving to us belonged to Ka Oris?,” Vicente asked.
“No one among the family was informed with this,” Vicente added.
Madlos got his nom de guerre “Ka Oris” from his foster father, then General Luna Mayor Mauricio “Oris” Ravelo who adopted Jorge.
“Our uncle Mauricio who served as mayor in the town of General Luna, never bore a child and asked our mother to be adopted Jorge,” Vicente said. (Roel N. Catoto)