SOME 295 New People's Army (NPA) members and supporters surrendered in barangay Camam-onan, Gigaquit, Surigao del Norte last week, Friday.
Among the surrendees were 28 Militia ng Bayan (MB) and 267 Underground Mass Organization (UGMO) members, who also yielded seven assorted firearms to the town mayor of Gigaquit, Elvira Egay and Lieutenant Colonel Allen Raymund Tomas, the Battalion Commander of 30th IB.
The surenderees pledged their oath of allegiance to the government, followed by the declaration of the CPP-NPA as “Persona non Grata.”
Barangay Camam-onan of Gigaquit was among the barangays declared as Conflict Affected Areas (ConAAs) in the province of Surigao del Norte. It is also among the barangays declared as Peace and Development Zone (PDZ) in August 28, 2018.
Lieutenant Colonel Tomas said, the LASICAM Complex or the Lahi, Sico-Sico, Camam-onan of Gigaquit town, are identified as strong-hold of the CPP-NPA for the past decades. However, because of Community Support Program (CSP) activities and the entry of government projects and interventions, the army soldiers regained the trust and support of the masses.
Brigadier General Franco Nemesio Gacal, Commander of the 4th Infantry Division (4ID), cited the importance of the Whole-of-the Nation Approach (WNA) to effectively address perennial problems of the communities
“I commend Lieutenant Colonel Tomas and his men together with the local government unit of Gigaquit for this big accomplishment," Gacal said.