EASTERN
MINDANAO COMMAND, Camp Panacan -- The military
welcomed the surrender of a top rebel leader who used to operate in the
municipalities of Compostela
Valley Province
Major
General Ricardo G Rainier Cruz III, commander of EastMinCom, said that
surrender of Narciso Pulbos-Ruben, also known as "Joan",
"Judy" and "Dodo" only proved the effectiveness of the
peace and development outreach program.
He
encouraged other rebels to go back to the society's mainstream like Ruben.
“Please take advantage of the government's integration program. It will provide
you an opportunity to return back to your families and communities through the
Comprehensive Local Integration Program (CLIP) of the government and together
we shall solve our problems the peaceful way,” Cruz said.
He
said the more than 40 years of armed struggle have not solved the problems of
the society and even bring more senseless deaths and miseries to thousands of
Filipinos, consequently destroying the future of many Filipino youth.
Cruz
urged the rebels who want to follow Ruben to actively support the program of
government to peacefully resolve all armed conflicts in the country.
He
said the action of Ruben is unprecedented in Mindanao
being the first top rebel leader to surrender to the authorities with the rank
as party secretary.
Cruz
assured that Ruben Narciso will undergo a process where he can avail the
livelihood under the CLIP of the government and will receive cash remuneration
for the surrendered firearm under the AFP Guns for Peace Program.
Cruz
and Major General Ariel Bernardo, commander of the 10th ID led other officers
of the military in presenting Ruben to Army chief Lt. General Noel Coballes and
to the public Wednesday following the regular meeting of the Philippine Army
Multi-Sector Advisory Board in a hotel here.
Coballes
lauded the troops for the latest achievement and also credited the effectivity
of the PDOP in encouraging more rebels to surrender.
“Ruben’s
surrender only shows, that the Philippine Army is doing the right approach in
dealing with the insurgency problem,” he said.
Captain
Severino David, deputy commander and spokesperson of the Eastern Mindanao
Command said Ruben yielded a .357 caliber revolver during his surrender.
He
said Ruben bared during initial investigation the extent of his involvement in
the armed movement.
“Ruben
joined the New People’s Army in 1997 and held various positions such as member
of the Samahang Yunit Propaganda, team leader of a medical staff, political
lecturer of the Pulang Bagani Command 5 until he was elevated to the position
as front secretary of the front committee 34 operating in the areas of Compostela Valley
In
a separate interview, Ruben said the hardships of the life on the run and the
broken promises and disappointments in the rebel organization forced him to
change perspective and returned back to the folds of the law through the peace
and development team of the 25th IB.
He
wished to be given the chance to live a normal life with his family.
Records
from the EastMinCom revealed that a total of 123 communist rebels surrendered
to government from January up to the present, this year.
http://www.pna.gov.ph/index.php?idn=2&sid=&nid=2&rid=543166
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