DAVAO CITY – Former Anakpawis party-list Rep. Ariel Casilao defended his brother Eric Jun, a suspected ranking communist rebel leader in Mindanao, saying his elder brother is not a terrorist.
ERIC Jun Casilao during high school days in Assumption College of Davao. (Contributed photo)
Authorities disclosed that Eric Jun Casilao, 46, was arrested in Malaysia on April 1 by combined elements of Armed Forces of the Philippines, Philippine National Police, National Intelligence Coordinating Agency, Bureau of Immigration, and Department of Foreign Affairs in a joint law enforcement operation with the Royal Malaysian Police (RMP) and Malaysian Immigration while he was said to be boarding a ferry bound for Koh Lipe, Thailand.
He was deported by the Malaysian authorities to the Philippines on April 17 and was immediately flown to this city on the same day.
In a statement, Army 10th Infantry Division commander Major Gen. Jose Eriel M. Niembra said terrorist leaders have no safe place to stay and hide, even outside the country.
“The government is determined to capture CTG leaders and terrorists wherever they are,” Niembra added.
Casilao, who carries a P5.4-million bounty on his head, is the alleged Secretary of the Southern Mindanao Regional Committee (SMRC) and Central Committee member of the Communist Party of the Philippines.
In a statement, the Army 10th Infantry Division branded the younger Casilao as one of the most notorious terrorist leaders reportedly behind the numerous terrorist activities in the Davao region.
Army 10th ID spokesperson Major Mark Anthony Tito said that the captured rebel leader has existing warrants of arrest for the crimes of murder, kidnapping, serious illegal detention, and attempted murder.
But for his brother, the captured rebel leader is opposite to what the military and police is portraying him.
“Many of his batchmates in high school and college, teachers, professors, and friends that could attest Eric as very opposite from what the PNP and AFP is branding him. He is and his actions is far from being allegedly a notorious terrorist personality,” the former lawmaker said in a statement sent to Manila Bulletin.
The alleged rebel leader is now in custody of the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group.
On April 17, the Davao City Police Office called for a press conference but did not present Eric to the media.
Instead, CIDG-11 chief Police Lt. Col. Michael John Mangahis faced the media and issued statements saying that the arrested rebel leader is still undergoing processing and may take two days.
Not a terrorist
A high school classmate, who requested anonymity, also recalled that Eric is a silent type of person. “Always in the background but brilliance always brings him to the spotlight – of leadership and recognition.”
He disclosed that Eric was a product of a Catholic-run Assumption College of Davao from kindergarten to high school.
The source added that he was their class valedictorian in 1995 and took up Bachelor of Arts in Sociology at the Ateneo de Davao University.
But he failed to finish the second semester of his first year because he reportedly went underground, he added.
“He is very intelligent. He doesn't study but always gets high scores. He’s a Dean’s Lister even though he often skips classes,” he recounted.
But he admitted that Eric was already an activist during their high school days in ACD.
He added that the last time they saw each other was sometime in 2002 at the wake of Beng Hernandez, an activist who was slain in an alleged encounter with government troops in Arakan, North Cotabato.
Ariel recalled that his brother sought refuge in the revolutionary movement sometime in 2004 after allegedly receiving harassments and threats to his life.
“A student leader back in his high school and college days. His decision in seeking the sanctuary of the revolutionary movement is well accepted and respected by me and my family. He is not a terrorist,” he pointed out.