GOVERNMENT forces rescued a pregnant New People’s Army (NPA) medic in Butuan City while three others, including two amazons, have surrendered to military troops in North Cotabato, officials said Friday, May 1.
Major General Jose Faustino, Jr., commander of the Eastern Mindanao Command (Eastmincom), identified the rescued NPA medic as a certain Ka Myka, who is nine months pregnant.
The three who surrendered were identified as certain Ka Bebe, 16, and Ka Pao,19, both amazons. The third surrenderer is Ka Alex, 47.
Faustino said Myka was rescued by the troops of the Army’s 23rd Infantry Battalion around 7:30 p.m. Wednesday at Sitio Bancaling in the village of Nong-nong, Butuan City.
The Eastmincom chief said Myka was rescued after the troops responded to an information of a concerned citizen that a pregnant woman was left by a group of NPA rebels to the care of an NPA supporter in Nong-nong village.
He said Myka was hesitant when the troops approached her but after negotiations, she willingly narrated her ordeal and asked for help from the soldiers to assist her in giving birth.
Myka was immediately brought to the military camp for initial care before she was transferred to a hospital for a medical check-up.
Faustino added Bebe, Pao and Alex have surrendered last week to the troops of the Army’s 39th Infantry Battalion in Bacung villages in Tulunan town, North Cotabato.
Bebe revealed that she joined the NPA when she was 10. She decided to surrender due to hardship in the NPA and her wanting to be with her family.
Meanwhile, Lieutenant Colonel Ezra Balagtey, Eastmincom spokesperson, said that 42 NPA regulars and five Militia ng Bayan have surrendered to the government in April, this year.
Balagtey said they have turned over 134 high-powered firearms of various caliber.
He said that 496 members of the Underground Mass Organizations (UGMO) have also withdrawn their support to the National Democratic Front (NDF), while 21 Sangay ng Partido sa Localidad (SPL) cut their ties with the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP). (SunStar Zamboanga)