5 NPA rebels surrender in Bukidnon

ANOTHER batch of former communist insurgents have returned to the folds of the law as they turned themselves in to the authorities over the weekend.

In a statement, troops under the 8th Infantry Battalion facilitated the surrender of five members of the New People’s Army (NPA) identified as Alias GM, 22; Alias Pigong, 18; Alias Boy, 25; and Alias Cobra, 24; all residents of Cabanglasan town and Alias Lucas, 49, resident of Loreto, Agusan del Sur.

The former rebels also yielded their firearms including caliber 30 M1 Garand rifle, three caliber 22 rifle and a caliber 9mm sub machine gun.

The military said the former NPA combatants revealed that the continuous hardships, internal discrimination and false promises from NPA leaders prompted them to lay down their arms and live a normal and peaceful life with their families.

8IB commander Lieutenant Colonel Ronald Illana has lauded the troops for reaching out to the remote villages to offer peace with the rebels.

“Community Support Program opened the door for our misguided brothers to return to the mainstream,” Illana said.

“Every day, more and more NPA members are surfacing to avail of the government’s Enhanced Comprehensive Local Integration Program (ECLIP). With the help of the local government units, we have convinced more NPA members and supporters to denounce armed struggle and embrace peace. We are expecting more surrenderees in the coming days,” he added.