Tuesday, May 13, 2014

2 self-proclaimed NPA members surrender to Philippine Army

From the Philippine News Agency (May 13): 2 self-proclaimed NPA members surrender to Philippine Army

Two men who claimed to be members of the rebel New People’s Army (NPA) in southern Negros Oriental voluntarily surrendered to troops of the 79th Infantry Battalion of the Philippine Army on Monday.

They were identified as Dagul, 21 years old and Ivan, 29 years old (not their real names) who are purportedly members of Squad 3, Sentro de Gravidad Platoon, South East Front-Komiteng Rehiyon Negros (SEF-KRN) operating in the areas of Pamplona and San Jose municipalities and at the boundaries of Sta. Catalina and Siaton, all in Negros Oriental.

The former rebels affirmed that they decided to leave the underground movement since they lost interest to pursue the armed struggle because of internal conflicts in the organization, adding that they can sense that their armed organization where they belong is on the brink of collapse, a media release from the 79th IB on Tuesday said.

They added that their surrender was to clear their names and go back to mainstream society to live peacefully together with their families and have a normal life that is free from any danger, the media release said.

Lt. Col. Harold Anthony F. Pascua, acting commanding officer of the 79th IB was quoted as saying that the surrender of the two “is a clear manifestation that the New People’s Army in the area is weak and on skeletal condition as they experience both combat and social pressure”.

“Now that the province of Negros Oriental was declared as Conflict Manageable and Development Ready, more and more pressure among the people will be experienced by the armed group. Thus, I am calling the remaining elements of the New People’s Army in Negros Oriental to lay down their arms and together let us solve the problems peacefully”, Pascua added.

The 79th IB will help facilitate, through the Provincial Social Welfare and Development Office headed by Miss Alicia Lagarde, the surrender of ‘Dagul” and “Ivan” for them to avail of the Local Social Integration Program of the province of Negros Oriental which provides cash assistance for livelihood.

http://www.pna.gov.ph/index.php?idn=2&sid=&nid=2&rid=643289

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