MORE suspected communist rebels have returned to the folds of the law as they turned themselves in to government troops in Bukidnon over the weekend.
A certain alias Milit and Bugoy surrendered to the troops of the 1st Special Forces Battalion last Saturday, August 25, and yielded their caliber 30 M2 carbine, M79 grenade launcher and ammunition.
The two were reportedly members of the Sangay ng Partido sa Lokalidad and Militia ng Bayan of Guerilla Front 68, North Central Mindanao Regional Committee of the New People’s Army (NPA).
The following day, a certain Jordan surrendered to the same military troops yielding his caliber 30 M1 Garand rifle with ammunition.
The military said a total of nine NPA fighters including Militia ng Bayan and Sangay ng Partido sa Lokalidad members surrendered to the government soldiers in Bukidnon for the past weeks, while the 403rd Infantry Brigade continue to intensify its focused military operations against the remaining rebels in the province.
"Similarly, these surrenderees experienced the false promises and deception of the CPP-NPA terrorists leaders such as financial and food support for their families that were never fulfilled," the military said in a press release.
403IB commander Brigadier General Eric Vinoya has urged other members of the NPA organization to lay down their arms and avail the government's Enhanced Comprehensive Local Integration Program (ECLIP) while it lasts.
"We would like to reassure our brothers and sisters who still remain deceived by the CPP-NPA leaders that the government puts premium on their welfare and well-being when they decide to embrace peace and go back to the folds of the law through the ECLIP," Vinoya said.
"They should avail of the benefits of this program now or else they will continue to suffer from hunger and hardships in the mountains as we will have no letup in our focused military operations against this terrorist group," he added.