Thursday, January 11, 2018

NPA finance man, squad commander surrender

From the Manila Bulletin (Jan 10): NPA finance man, squad commander surrender

CAMP BANCASI, Butuan City – A finance officer and a squad commander of the New People’s Army (NPA) has surrendered to the Army’s 73rd Infantry (Neutralizer) Battalion (73rd IB) in Southern Mindanao.

1/Lt. China Celina P. Castro, 73rd IB Civil Military Operations (CMO) Officer, said on Wednesday that the two NPA officers yielded 3 high-powered firearms and live ammunitions.


(MANILA BULLETIN)

Castro, identified the surrenderees as Randy N. Atong, alias “Andikon,” finance and Logistics Officer of Andoy and Basil Platoons of guerilla-Front Committee 51 of the CPP-NPA Southern Mindanao Regional Committee (SMRC, and Renie C. Atenza, alias “Ryan,” team commander of First Squad, Basil Platoon of guerilla-Front Committee 51, SMRC.

“They voluntarily surrendered early this morning (Jan. 10) at our headquarters,” said the 73rd IB CMO officer.

Their surrender was the result of the intensified focused military operations against the NPA terrorist group, Castro further claimed.

The former NPA terrorists said they were already tired of fighting against the government forces and narrated their experience of starvation caused by the dwindling support from their masses; hence, they said they decided to return to the folds of the law.

The surrenderees yielded one M14 rifle and one M16 Armalite rifle attached with M203 Grenade Launcher, the 73rd IB CMO Officer said.

Just last month (December 2017), 8 NPA members belonging to guerilla-Front Committee 71, also surrendered to 73rd IB, bringing with them 2 high-powered firearms.

Their decision to surrender was an aftermath of the setback they suffered during their group’s encounter with government forces last December 1, 2017 wherein 2 of their members died and five 5 high-powered firearms were recovered, Castro added.

“This is an excellent manifestation that our efforts on winning against communist terrorists through focused military operations and Community Support Program (CSP) activities are effective. Because of this, we are expecting more surrenderees in the coming days. Thus, we are reiterating our call on other NPA members to lay down their arms, surrender and avail of the Comprehensive Local Integration Program (CLIP)”, said 73rd IB commanding officer Lt. Col. Marion Angca.

“The significant increase of former NPA terrorists returning to the folds of the law is also an evidence of our effective collaboration with the Local Government Unit and Local Officials,” he added.

https://news.mb.com.ph/2018/01/10/npa-finance-man-squad-commander-surrender/

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