4 NPAs surrender to Army troopers in Northern Samar

From the Philippine News Agency (Feb 11): 4 NPAs surrender to Army troopers in Northern Samar

Four members of the New People's Army (NPA) surrendered to the Northern Samar-based 34th Infantry Battalion over the weekend.

Belated reports from Capt. Amado Gutierrez, 8th Infantry Division spokesperson, identified one of the surrenderees as a certain "Macky", who also handed a .22 caliber pistol to authorities, and the three others only as belonging to NPA unit based in Barangay Malidon, Gamay town, Northern Samar.

Gutierrez declined to identify the four for security reasons.

He added that the four decided to surrender due to hardships they have suffered and after witnessing the sincerity of the government through the "Bayanihan" team operations of troops working in their barangays.

Under the Local Social Integration Program of Northern Samar Province, an NPA surrenderee will receive P10,000 as immediate assistance and P30,000 as livelihood assistance.

The surrenderees will be receiving their benefits upon completion of documentation of their surrender.

“The surrender of the NPA personalities depicts the general sentiment of the people in communities where NPAs have influence, but given the chance to choose between the path to peace and violence, NPA rebels will choose peace. With the program that Northern Samar is implementing, we are looking at more NPA rebels to return to the mainstream and contribute in the nation’s march to peace and progress,” said 34th Infantry Battalion commander Lt. Col. Rodrigo Ilustrisimo.

http://www.pna.gov.ph/index.php?idn=1&sid=&nid=1&rid=614802