SIX members of the New People’s Army (NPA) have surrendered to government authorities Tuesday, November 30, 2021, in the province of Sarangani, officials announced.
Major General Alfredo Rosario, Jr., commander of the Western Mindanao Command (Westmicom), said the six NPA surrenderers were members of the Militia ng Bayan under Central Platoon Musa, of the NPA’s Far South Mindanao Region (FSMR).
Rosario did not identify the NPA surrenderers for security reasons except in saying they are all residents of Sitio Kapanal in Gasi village, Kiamba, Sarangani.
“The FSMR operates mainly in the provinces of Cotabato and Saranggani,” Rosario added.
He said the NPA surrenderers handed over one shotgun with three rounds of live ammunition, one 5.56-millimeter pistol with two rounds of live ammunition, and two .38-caliber revolvers with three rounds of live ammunition.
The surrenderers have undergone custodial debriefing. They were then presented to Kiamba Mayor Danny Martinez and other stakeholders for their subsequent enrollment in the Enhanced Comprehensive Local Integration Program (E-Clip).
The E-Clip is a government program that aims to help the rebel members of the Communist Party of the Philippines-New People’s Army-National Democratic Front (CPP-NPA-NDF) and Militia ng Bayan to restore their allegiance to the Philippine government.
Major General Juvymax Uy, Joint Task Force (JTF)-Central commander, attributed this accomplishment to the collaborative efforts of the 38th Infantry Battalion, 2nd Sarangani Provincial Mobile Force Company, Kiamba police, Police Maritime Group-Kiamba substation, and the intelligence units.
Since January, a total of 145 members and supporters of the NPA already surrendered to the JTF-Central most of whom already received their reintegration packages. (SunStar Zamboanga)