FOUR suspected members of the New People’s Army (NPA) have voluntarily surrendered and turned over their firearms to authorities in Eastern Visayas following their desire to avail themselves of the government’s financial and livelihood program.

In the information released by the Police Regional Office-Eastern Visayas on Monday, April 5, 2021, the surrenderers were identified as alias Jonas, 25, of Calbayog City; alias Dumog, 27, of Silvino Lobos, Northern Samar; alias Cardo, 28, of Lope de Vega, Northern Samar; and alias Totskie, 29, of Victoria, Northern Samar.

They turned in one caliber .45 pistol, one caliber 5.56 mm Colt M16, one M653 Colt AR-15, one caliber 7.62 mm US rifle, one caliber 5.56 mm Bush Master, and one caliber .45 pistol colt combat commander.

The former rebels surrendered to the authorities in Lope de Vega, Northern Samar, according to the police report.

Eastern Visayas, particularly the Samar Island, has remained a hotbed of insurgency with the continued presence of the NPA, who has been waging a Maoist-inspired guerrilla war since the late 1960s. (SunStar Philippines)