A LEADER and four New People’s Army (NPA) rebels have surrendered in the province of Sultan Kudarat, military officials announced Friday, February 4, 2022.
Lieutenant General Alfredo Rosario Jr., commander of the Western Mindanao Command (Westmincom), did not reveal the identities of the NPA surrenderers, except that one of them was a squad leader and four were members of the Platoon Myphone, East and West Daguma Fronts, Sub-regional Committee Daguma of the NPA’s Far South Mindanao Region.
Rosario said the rebels handed over two M-16 rifles with magazines and ammunition, a Carbine rifle, and three caliber .38 revolvers when they surrendered Thursday, February 3, through the joint effort of the 7th Infantry Battalion and police forces of Bagumbayan and Sen. Ninoy Aquino municipalities, Sultan Kudarat.
Major General Juvymax Uy, commander of Joint Task Force (JTF)-Central, attributed the surrender of the four NPA rebels to the unwavering support of the provincial and local governments.
“Our convergence encourages more NPA rebels to come out and end their armed struggle peacefully,” Uy said.
“Let us continue to convince our misled Kababayans to return to the folds of the law and take advantage of the assistance from the government. Rest assured that we will assist them in their reintegration into mainstream society,” Rosario said.
Since January, 12 NPA rebels have already surrendered to military authorities in Central Mindanao.
Their documents are currently being processed for enrolment in the reintegration program of the government. (SunStar Zamboanga)