THREE New People’s Army (NPA) rebels surrendered to military authorities in the province of Sultan Kudarat, officials announced Thursday, January 27, 2022.

Lieutenant General Alfredo Rosario, Jr., commander of the Western Mindanao Command (Westmincom), said the three NPAs surrendered Wednesday, January 26, to the troops of the 37th Infantry Battalion (IB) in Tibpuan village, Lebak, Sultan Kudarat.

Rosario said the three surrenderers belong to the West Daguma Front, Sub-regional Committee Daguma, Far South Mindanao Region of the NPA organization.

He said they handed over one M-16 Armalite rifle, one M-14 rifle, and one fragmentation grenade.

The surrenderers underwent medical checkups and custodial debriefing facilitated by the 37IB.

The three surrenderers revealed that they decided to surrender as their former comrade convinced them to lay down their arms and return to the folds of the law. Their identities were withheld for security reasons.

Major General Juvymax Uy, commander of the Joint Task Force (JTF)-Central, said the surrender of the three NPAs was a result of the combined efforts of the 37IB and intelligence units.

“This is a result of our continuous campaign against terrorism here in central Mindanao,” he said.

Since January 1, a total of seven NPA rebels were neutralized in Central Mindanao. Six of them surrendered and one was killed in a clash. (SunStar Zamboanga)