A NEW People’s Army (NPA) rebel surrendered to authorities in Zamboanga del Sur province and has pledged allegiance to the government, the police reported Friday, February 10, 2023.

Police Colonel Richard Verceles, operations chief of the Area Police Command-Western Mindanao, identified the NPA surrenderer as Don-Don Gose alias Ka Don.

Verceles said Gose surrendered around 3:30 p.m. Wednesday, February 8, in San Pablo village, Dumingag, Zamboanga del Sur.

He said Gose, 46, surrendered following negotiations initiated by the members of the Dumingag Municipal Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (MTF-Elcac).

Verceles said Gose is a member of the Barangay Revolutionary Committee of Guerrilla Front Big Beautiful Country of the NPA’s Western Mindanao Regional Party Committee.

Gose took his oath of allegiance to the government administered by Dumingag Mayor Gerry Paglinawan, who chairs the MTF-Elcac.

Paglinawan handed over food packs to Gose as initial assistance from the municipal government.

Verceles said Gose was placed under the custody of the officials of Dilud village, Dumningag for community reintegration. (SunStar Zamboanga)