CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY—A platoon leader of the Communist Party of the Philippines-New People’s Army (CPP-NPA) in Bukidnon has surrendered to the Police Regional Office of Northern Mindanao (PRO-10) Wednesday afternoon.
Brigadier Gen. Benjamin Acorda Jr., PRO-10 director, identified the surrenderer only as Brabong, commanding officer of Platoon 3, Sub-Regional Committee 5 (SRC5), North Central Mindanao Regional Committee (NCMRC), who is from the Bukidnon town of Talakag.
Brabong turned over two high-powered firearms during the surrender rite at the PRO-10 headquarters in Camp Vicente Alagar here.
Acorda said NPA rebel was one of the responsible for the recent abduction of a policeman in the Bukidnon town of Kalilangan. The police officer was released after two months and 18 days of captivity.
Brabong's guerilla front was also involved in extortion activities victimizing businesses, farmers, and construction companies under the SRC-5, NCMRC's operational sphere, Acorda added.
Lt. Col. Michelle Olaivar, PRO-10 spokesperson, said a former rebel helped facilitate Brabong's surrender.
"He (Brabong) communicated to a former rebel, who also surrendered to us. That was the start. When we confirmed, we immediately fetched him in Talakag town," Olaivar said.
Brabong surrendered an M72 Light Anti-tank Weapon (LAW) caliber 66mm Rocket Launcher and an M1919 Browning .30-caliber machine gun with 228 rounds of ammunition, Olaivar said.
Meanwhile, Acorda underscored the coordination among the police, the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP), and community residents in convincing NPA rebels to return to mainstream society.
The CPP-NPA is listed as a terrorist organization by the United States, the European Union, the United Kingdom, Australia, Canada, New Zealand, and the Philippines.
The National Democratic Front (NDF) has been formally designated as a terrorist organization by the Anti-Terrorism Council on June 23, 2021, citing it as “an integral and inseparable part” of the CPP-NPA created in April 1973. (PNA)