Field units of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) have received more rebel surrenderees than attackers, according to the regional spokesperson and Public Affairs Office (PAO) chief of the Army’s 10th Infantry (Agila) Division (10th ID).
Capt. Jerry S. Lamosao, in a statement on Thursday ,said that some 173 members of NPA have surrendered to 10th ID through 1001st Infantry (Pag-asa) Brigade since July 1, 2017.
This file photo taken on July 30, 2017 shows guerrillas of the New People’s Army (NPA) in formation in the Sierra Madre mountain range. (AFP Photo / Noel Celis / Manila Bulletin)
The 1001st Brigade covers some parts of Agusan del Sur province and 8 municipalities in Compostela Valley (ComVal) province, 5 municipalities and 1 city of Davao del Norte province.
It has 4 combat maneuvering battalions and 1 Task Force covering the areas.
The surrenderees came about as a result of massive deployment of Community Pace and Development Support Teams in the unit’s area of responsibility (AOR) and relentless focused military operations against the NPA terrorists, Capt. Lamosao claimed.
“Most of mass surrendees were recorded in October-December this year,” he said.
The 1001st Brigade gained 64 firearms for the period.
The relentless combat operations also resulted in the recovery of 14 IEDs and 23 NPA camps and harbor areas, further claimed the 10th ID spokesperson .
Based on records from the different units of the 1001st Brigade, the NPA terrorists who surrendered are members of the regular armed group Sangay sa Partido (SP) and Milisya ng Bayan (MB), he said.
SPs are the smallest communist party branch personalities of the CPP who are conducting Ideological, Political, Organizational and Mass (IPOM) works while MBs are the “part-time” NPAs or “farmers by day, NPAs by night” who serve as security in the NPA- influenced barangays and are ready to join the regular NPA terrorists when necessary to conduct harassments to PNP, AFP detachments and vital installations, Capt. Lamosao said.
Some of the MBs are utilized as eyes and ears or guides and spotters for the NPA regulars. Others are trained to handle and fabricate improvised explosive devices (IEDs), he added.
“With the recent accomplishments, the 1001st Brigade has influenced a great deal the lives of these people, than wanting them dead. We know they are just victims of a lie that has been passed through generations which has caused confusion and division among our people. Clearly, our mission of helping establish the foundation for inclusive human and economic development in our area of responsibility has already begun. We are calling on the NPAs out there to return to the folds of the law and to their families and avail of the programs of the Government…Let’s all give peace a chance,” said Colonel Erwin Bernard Neri, commanding officer of the 1001st Brigade.
Meanwhile, Major General Noel S. Clement, commanding general of the 10th “Agila” Division, said in the same statement, “We ensure the public that 10th ID and its units will always perform their mandated task of protecting the people including those NPA members who have surrendered, respecting their human rights and securing the communities.”
https://news.mb.com.ph/2017/12/14/173-npa-rebels-surrender-to-armed-forces-field-units/
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