TWO New People’s Army (NPA) rebels surrendered to military authorities Sunday, February 5, 2023, in the province of Sultan Kudarat, officials said.

Major General Alex Rillera, Joint Task Force Central commander, did not identify the two NPA surrenders except to say they were remnants of Baghdad Platoon, East Daguma Front, Sub-Regional Committee Daguma, Far South Mindanao Region.

They handed over their firearms, including one M16A1 and one M14, when they surrendered to the troops of the 57th Infantry Battalion at Sitio Bagangan in Kapilan village, Lebak, Sultan Kudarat.

Rillera said the intensified security operations, coupled with the peaceful mechanisms employed by the members of the National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (NTF-Elcac), including the local government units, security agencies, and other government agencies, continuously yield to the snowball of surrenders of NPA rebels.

Meanwhile, Lieutenant General Roy Galido, Western Mindanao Command chief, applauded the two NPA surrenderers for their brave decision to abandon their group and return to the fold of the law.

“May they inspire those who remain in hiding to come out and walk with us in our journey toward lasting peace and progress here in the Mindanao region,” Galido said. (SunStar Zamboanga)