Five disgruntled New People’s Army (NPA) rebels voluntarily surrendered to the 23rd Infantry Battalion (23IB) in the hope of changing their and their families’ lives through the support of government programs and services.
Lt. Col. Julius Cesar C. Paulo, 23IB commander, welcomed the move, saying the five former NPA combatants could no longer endure the exploitation, deception, and treacherous propaganda of the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP).
“They appeared exhausted and fatigued when they voluntarily surrendered at our headquarters in Barangay Alibuhid, Buenavista, Agusan del Norte. They also indicated their refusal and disinclination to continue with the hopeless armed struggle being espoused by the CPP and its armed wing, the NPA,” he told the Philippine News Agency (PNA) on Saturday.
The five NPA rebels formally surrendered on Friday.
Paulo identified them as Alias “Alex”, 34; Alias Brando, 25; Alias Dave, 24; Alias Sam, 19; and Alias Kaduyag, 51 who were fighters under the dismantled Guerrilla Front (GF) 4A of the North Central Mindanao Regional Committee (NCMRC) of the NPA.
“The surrenderers are regular members and remnants of the dismantled GF-4A (DGF4A) of NCMRC attached to the 3rd Platoon led by a certain Crisanto Ligayna, alias Tazar,” he said.
The GF-4A operates in the areas of Las Nieves, Buenavista, Nasipit, Carmen, parts of Butuan City in Agusan del Norte, and Magsaysay and Gingoog City in Misamis Oriental.
The GF-4A suffered a major defeat in an encounter on May 10, 2020, in the boundary of Agusan del Norte and Gingoog City in Misamis Oriental. In the skirmish, 15 of the front’s fighters, including the top leaders, were killed, leading to its eventual dismantling.
“(A) series of surrenders also took place, not only among its regular fighters but also the underground mass supporters in communities after the May 10, 2020 encounter,” Paulo said.
Based on the testimonies of the five surrenderers, the remnants of the front are facing difficulties in recovering their areas and experiencing difficulties due to hunger and fatigue as support from their mass base has been cut after the series of surrenders, he added.
Alias Brando, one of the surrenderers, said he went on hiatus after the front suffered heavy losses, not only during military operations but also on the series of surrenders of its mass supporters.
“After my rest, I decided to join the group to surrender to the 23IB to clear my name and to change the direction of my life and my family. I now pledge my support to the government,” Brando was quoted as saying in a separate statement issued by the 23IB on Saturday.
Paulo said the surrender is another serious blow to the ranks of communist terrorism in the areas of operation of the 23IB.
Six NPA rebels who were also remnants of GF-4A surrendered to the unit on July 21.
“We continue to encourage the remnants of the dismantled GF-4A to abandon the armed struggle and seek freedom. The unit is ready to help them leave behind their lives as outlaws and experience a better life under the fold of the government,” he said.
Paulo added that the unit is implementing stringent measures to prevent the remaining NPA rebels from recovery works and recruitment of new members.
The CPP-NPA, which has been waging a five-decade armed struggle against the government, is listed as a terrorist organization by the United States, the European Union, the United Kingdom, Australia, Canada, New Zealand, and the Philippines.
Source: Philippines News Agency
