TWO self-confessed members of the communist New People's Army, a bomb expert and a sniper, surrendered to the military in Compostela Valley on Tuesday, August 21, a military spokesperson said on Wednesday.
Captain Rodel Bacani, spokesperson of the 66th infantry battalion (IB), said alias Randy is a bomb expert who has been instrumental in the training and deployment of improvised explosive devices (IED) in the said province while alias Richard is a trained designated sniper of then Guerilla Front 25 who took part in several encounters with the troops.
“The two regular NPA members surrendered to the 66IB, 10ID (infantry division) for fear of being killed due to the relentless combat operations conducted by the battalion. They certainly knew that the troops and their former comrades who earlier surrendered and became members of the Cafgu will soon catch up with them and lead to their neutralization if they do not surrender. The 66IB opened its doors in the name of peace,” said Bacani.
Bacani said the two surrenderers admitted being involved in the bombing the Colapugon detachment in Barangay Maparat, Compostela Valley earlier this year.
They said they buried the motorcycles that they used for the explosion.
Meanwhile, in Rizal town in the province of Cagayan, two members of the so-called Milisyang Bayan (MB or People's Militia), supporters of the NPA, also surrendered on Tuesday morning.
Norther Luzon Command spokesperson Isagani Nato said the two surrenderers, aged 31 and 30, were also members of the Grupong Magsasaka and Grupong pangkababaihan under the supervision of Northern Front, Komiteng Rehiyon Cagayan Valley.
He said the surrender was facilitated by the Community Support Program (CSP) teams deployed in the area, with the assistance of the barangay officials from where the surrenderers operate, after negotiations were made.
“The Milisya ng Bayan, as part time NPAs, are the force multiplier of the underground movement and armed groups. Thus, their surrender will have great impact in advancing their struggle as they lost people in their ranks and reduce support from their mass base,” said Nato.
“Also, the surrender of more NPA members will eventually encourage more NPA regulars, MBs and supporters to opt embracing peaceful means and abandon the armed struggle as the government take serious concern on ending the insurgency and terrorism,” he added.
From January 1 to August 8, the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) said a total of 7,728 NPA rebels including MB members have been neutralized. Of the total, 7,515 surrendered, 83 were killed while 130 were apprehended.
AFP spokesperson Colonel Edgard Arevalo said 971 firearms have also been surrendered to the AFP, including 453 high-powered firearms, while 161 encampments were seized by the troops.
Under the government’s Comprehensive Local Integration Program (CLIP) each rebel surrenderer is entitled to P15,000 financial support, P50,000 for livelihood and a remuneration for the firearm they surrendered with an amount ranging from P12,000 to P210,000 depending on the type of firearm.
The surrenderers are also being housed in halfway houses provided by the government. (SunStar Philippines)