3 rebels surrender; clashesbetween NPA, army erupt

From the Mindanao Times (Feb 10): 3 rebels surrender; clashesbetween NPA, army erupt

THREE members of New People’s Army surrendered to the 73rd Infantry Battalion in Jose Abad Santos, Davao Occidental on Monday.

Col. Ronnie Villanueva, commander of 1002nd Infantry Brigade, identified one of the surrenderee as alias Bob, 43, of Sitio Kitugbil in Barangay Maguilibas, a member of Team Baking in Guerilla Front 71 of Far South Mindanao Region.

The others are alias Anne, 21, resident of Sitio Lucban in Barangay Carahayan and alias Johnny, 18, resident of Sitio Kitugbil in Barangay Meybio, both members of Platoon Uno of GF 71 of FSMR.

Their real names are withheld for the protection of their families.

They surrendered to the soldiers while conducting combat operations at the boundary of the municipalities of Glan and Malapatan in Sarangani and Jose Abad Santos.

According to Villanueva,the hardships  and starvation they suffered in the movement urged them to surrender.

“This was also because of the failed promises of the recruiters upon they enter inside,” he said.

They are now under the custody in the 73rd Infantry Battalion headquarters for the briefing process.

They will be enrolled in the Comprehensive Local Integration Program (CLIP) as part of the government’s effort to reintegrate former rebels to society.

In other news, a series of armed encounters between soldiers of 10th Infantry Division  and NPAs erupted over the weekend in Compostela Valley and Davao Occidental.

The first incident transpired on Saturday at 5 p.m.  between Bravo Company of 73IB and NPAs belonging to Guerilla Front 71 of the Far South Mindanao Region (FSMR) at the boundaries of Jose Abad Santos, Davao Occidental and Glan, Sarangani Province.

On the same day at around 2:30 p.m., the Bravo Company of 46IB clashed with NPAs under Guerilla Front 2 of the Southern Mindanao Regional Committee (SMRC) led by alias Raden at Sitio Binotaan, Barangay Kingking, Pantukan, Compostela Valley.

An encounter also occurred when NPAs fired upon soldiers while conducting checkpoint at Sitio Logpaton, Barangay Kingking in Pantukan at 3 p.m. on Sunday.

Maj. Gen. Rafael Valencia, commander of 10th Infantry Division, reiterated his earlier vow that they will be relentless in their fight against the NPA.

 “We will continue our peace and development initiatives for the people of Davao Region,” Valencia said. “We encourage NPA members to abandon the armed struggle and return to the folds of the law But for those who continue to choose the path of violence, we will vigorously pursue and defeat them using legitimate force.”

http://mindanaotimes.net/3-rebels-surrender-clashesbetween-npa-army-erupt/