6 NPA insurgents surrender in South Cotabato

From the Daily Tribune (Jan 13): 6 NPA insurgents surrender in South Cotabato

Nine New People’s Army (NPA) rebels surrendered to the military’s Eastern Mindanao Command (Eastmincom) on Friday, belated reports reaching Camp Aguinaldo said yesterday.

Lt. Gen. Ricardo Rainier Cruz III, Eastmincom chief, said that six NPA rebels yielded to the military in South Cotabato while three others surrendered in Davao del Sur.

Those who surrendered in South Cotabato were identified as Rudy Sawang, team leader of the NPA’s farmer sector in the province; his members, John Tomo and Lemuel Nalon; Anita Dalugan, vice team leader of the women sector, her members Luna Kaong and Dina Daludo.

“The said NPA underground mass organizations are responsible in organizing farmers, women and youth sectors in carrying out their recruitment and expansion in the barangay,” Cruz said.

The six NPA rebels gave themselves up to the Army’s 27th Infantry battalion (IB) in Barangay Tasiman, Lake Sebu last Friday afternoon.

Earlier, three NPA rebels also voluntarily surrendered to the Army’s 39th UB in Sitio Balagonon, Barangay Managa in Bansalan, Davao del Sur.

The surrenderees were Charlie Pasco, Jeffrey Pasco and Guiller Ombaoy, all active members of the NPA’s Front 51 of the Souhtern Mindanao Regional Committee. They also yielded two M16 and an M14 rifles.

“They admitted hardships and false promises of their leaders as well as frustrations in the actual practices inside the NPA brought them to return to the folds of the law,” Cruz said.

Cruz said the peaceful surrender of the NPA rebels was the result of the military’s internal peace and security plan “Bayanihan.”

At the same time, Cruz commended the military’s peace and development teams for successfully winning the confidence of the people in the rural areas.

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