Three communist New People’s Army rebels from Camarines Sur and Occidental Mindoro gave up and surrendered their firearms recently to Southern Luzon Command (SOLCOM) forces after years of clashing with government authorities.
In a report on Friday, SOLCOM commander Lt. Gen. Caesar Ronnie F. Ordoyo disclosed the three dissidents surrendered to SOLCOM troops during separate operations this week in Camarines Sur and Occidental Mindoro which are under the command’s area of responsibility.
Lt. Gen. Ordoyo said the surrender of the three rebels brought to 13 insurgents who are now under SOLCOM’s custody for the social integration program here after they have been neutralized since January this year.
Included in the list of rebel-returnees is George Geluz also known as Mario Dela Cruz and sports the alias “Mulong” as the former Secretary of the dissident Bicol Regional Party Committee.
The two other returnees into the government’s fold are Ramil C. Burigas alias Ka Jake and 39-year old Pascual Rodigues alias Adam or Arvin of Barangay Armado, Abra de Ilog, Occidental Mindoro.
Burigas abandoned the underground movement and voluntarily surrendered on Feb. 13 to SOLCOM soldiers.
He also turned over his 9mm pistol and other war items such as improvised explosive device, a six-wired blasting cap, detonating cords, electrical wires and one detonator switch.
Burigas also turned in assorted hard copies and 47 compact disk formats of subversive documents to the military authorities.
On the other hand, Rodigues yielded to government troops on Thursday at the Capitol Compound, Barangay Poblacion 9 in Mamburao, Occidental Mindoro.
Rodrigues, a self-confessed gunner of the Regional Yunit Guerilla, Southern Tagalog Regional Party Committee (RYG-STRPC) also surrendered his original shotgun with six ammunitions.
“The surrender of the rebels indicates the communist and terrorist organization has weakened and the returnees must have realized the futility of engaging in armed violence that only hampers our country’s economic development,” the SOLCOM commander said.
Lt. Gen. Ordoyo stressed that while they are focusing on securing communities, SOLCOM also encourages more returnees especially those who want to abandon the armed struggle and start a new life.
“As we continue to support national government’s thrust to maintain peace and development in the countryside, we sustain our social integration program and call on our brothers and sisters to come down and return into the fold of government and lead normal lives,” Ordoyo said.
But, the SOLCOM commanding general however said the military will continue to protect people and communities and meet force to force if the rebels resort to armed violence and terroristic acts.
He reported that government forces in fact sustain their regular combat patrol and mentioned the recent clash with NPA rebels early this week at the boundary of Barangay Salvacion and Barangay Patalunan, Ragay, Camarines Sur which is under SOLCOM’s operational jurisdiction.
He said the SOLCOM troops who were on patrol mission traded shots when about five rebels who were heavily armed suddenly fired at them.
The two minute encounter however reported no casualty from the troops.
http://www.pna.gov.ph/index.php?idn=2&sid=&nid=2&rid=618820
No comments:
Post a Comment
Note: Only a member of this blog may post a comment.