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Saturday, May 28, 2005
Top NPA rebels yield to Army
A HIGH ranking New People's Army (NPA) commander surrendered to elements of the 36th Infantry Battalion stationed at Sta. Maria, Trento Agusan del Sur last May 16.
In a press statement sent to Sun.Star Cagayan de Oro, Fourth Infantry Division (4th ID) chief Maj. Gen. Samuel Bagasin said the NPA commander Jose Adorna Celino alias Kareb is the head of the NPA front committee in Northeastern Mindanao.
Adorna has been with the NPA for more than 17 years and surrendered his M-16 rifle and .45 pistol. He operated in the towns of Prosperidad, Talacogon, San Luis and Rosario in Agusan del Sur.
His wife, Ka Dannah heads a Section Committee operating in the barangays of San Roque, San Vicente of Prosperidad and Del Monte of the Talacogon, of the same province.
Bagasin said Adorna's voluntary surrender was a result of the intensified security operations by the 36th IB in the province.
Adorna revealed there was massive demoralization among the ranks and file of the NPA in the region due to reported diminishing support of the civilian populace and relentless military operations.
Meanwhile, a regular NPA member named Mario L. Lastimosa, alias Mark, and a resident of Barangay Malaubas, Panabo City, Davao del Norte surrendered to the elements of 73rd Infantry Battalion.
Bagasin said Lastimosa deserted his comrades who were resting at Sitio Gatungon, Barangay, Tapak, Paquibato District, Davao City.
Lastimosa was without firearm when he was intercepted on Saturday, May 21.
During the interrogation Lastimosa disclosed that he is a member of the Pulang Bagani Command (PBC)-1 of the Southern Mindanao Regional Committee (SMRC) under Kumander Parago.
He is reportedly the M-60 machine gunner of the group composed of 70 communist rebels that figured in an encounter with 26th Infantry Battalion (26th lB) in Bukidnon last May 14.
When asked why he abandoned his comrades, he said he cannot endure the hunger and was afraid to die during the encounter with the government troops.
Bagasin said he expects that in the coming days more NPA regular members will surrender as there will be no letup of the combat operations against these communist guerrillas.
(May 28, 2005 issue)
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