TWENTY-EIGHT New People’s Army (NPA) rebels have surrendered to the government authorities in the province of Zamboanga Sibugay, military officials said Friday, January 31.
Colonel Leonel Nicolas, Army’s 102nd Infantry Brigade commander, said the 28 NPA rebels surrendered around 10 a.m. Thursday at his headquarters in Sanito Village, Ipil, Zamboanga Sibugay. They turned over seven firearms and explosives.
Nicolas said the surrenderers belong to the NPA’s Western Mindanao Regional Party Committee (WMRPC) who operates in Zamboanga Peninsula provinces and Misamis Occidental.
One of the surrenderers identified only as a certain Diane said she was deceived by the NPA recruiter.
Diane said her family did not receive monthly financial support as what was promised if she will join the armed struggle.
Another surrenderer identified only as Diego said he is displeased with the NPA organization administration and their armed struggle.
Nicolas said they will be enrolled to the Enhance Comprehensive Local Integration Program (E-Clip).
E-Clip is one of the flagship programs of the administration of President Rodrigo Duterte that seeks to address social healing and national unity toward the higher objective of having just and lasting peace.
The surrenderers were presented to the Regional Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (RTF-Elcac)-Zamboanga Peninsula, represented by Interior and Local Government Zamboanga Sibugay Provincial Director Mario Baterna together with Brigadier General Generoso Ponio, Army’s 1st Infantry Division commander and other officials.
Meanwhile, Ponio told the NPA surrenderers to encourage their comrades to return to the folds of the law. (SunStar Zamboanga)