A NEW People’s Army (NPA) rebel surrendered to authorities in the province of Sarangani, the military said Friday, February 3, 2023.

The NPA rebel, identified only as Ka Jurib, a member of the dismantled Guerilla Front 75 of the NPA’s Far South Mindanao Region, surrendered Thursday, February 2, to Colonel Galileo Goyena, Jr., Task Force GenSan commander, in Purok Bayan, Maribulan village, Alabel, Sarangani.

Goyena said the surrender is a result of the whole-of-nation approach employed by the task force to convince those rebels hiding in the hinterlands of Sarangani to come out.

Jurib handed over a caliber .30 Sniper rifle and 10 7.62-millimeter ammunition. He also shared his testimonies regarding the false promises of their leadership and the hardships he experienced with the group.

Major General Alex Rillera, Joint Task Force Central commander, said Jurib will receive training and livelihood assistance from different government agencies through the government’s Enhanced Comprehensive Local Integration Program (E-Clip) to make him a productive member of society.

For his part, Western Mindanao Command Chief Roy Galido said that the armed forces are always ready to assist those who wish to return to mainstream society.

“Peaceful resolution is far better than ending armed conflicts on the battlefield,” Galido said. (SunStar Zamboanga)