NPA medical officer in Mindoro surrenders

From the Philippine News Agency (Jul 23): NPA medical officer in Mindoro surrenders

CAMP GEN. MATEO CAPINPIN, Tanay, Rizal – A medical officer of the communist New People’s Army (NPA) voluntarily surrendered to joint elements of the 76th Infantry Battalion (76IB) and the 402nd Mobile Police Company based in Occidental Mindoro on Saturday.

In a report reaching here on Sunday, Lieutenant Colonel Mario Lito I. Retirva, acting 76 IB Commanding Officer, identified the surrenderer as Ronnie I. Ferrer, alias “Jack”, 42, who joined the communist terrorist group's armed struggled against the government since he was 27 years old.

Retirva disclosed that Ferrer was a medical officer of the Platoon Falcon, formerly known as Kilusang Larangang Guerilla “Yam-ay”, Sub- Regional Military Area-4D, Southern Tagalog Regional Party Committee (STRPC).

He also said that Ferrer was identified as one of the fugitives known as “Batangas 9. A group composed of about 20 NPA rebels raided the Batangas Provincial City Jail that resulted in a jail break for their detained comrades and other inmates facing drug-related cases on January 6, 2006.

Following his surrender, Ferrer divulged in an interview that he was recruited at the age of 18 by a left-leaning youth organization, which forced the recruits to attend mass rallies and protests.

“Ako ay na recruit nila sa pamamagitan ng pag-pasok sa Samahan ng mga Kabataan hanggang maugnayan na ako ng mga kasamang nagsasagawa ng gawaing masa (I was recruited through the Youth League until I was involved in the members’ activities on mass actions),” Ferrer admitted.

He said his fellow members have been brainwashed to hate the government through social and political issues in the province.

The surrendered rebel also told government troops that the failure of the CPP-NPA-NDF leadership to give his medical needs and the false hope of the organization caused him to decide to abandon his armed struggle and return to a normal life.

He added he experienced starvation due to the dwindling support from the masses and continuous evasion from intensified combat operations.

Ferrer confirmed reports that the CPP-NPA-NDF in Mindoro is continuously recruiting Indigenous Peoples (IPs) because they believed that Mangyans are easier to convince and manipulate.

“Yung mga katutubo, dahil sila ang nasa liblib na lugar, sila yung pangunahing nirerekrut ng kilusan at madali silang mahikayat (the indigenous peoples who are in the remote areas are the primary target for recruitment because they can easily be convinced),” he added.

According to Retirva, the 76IB, together with the Philippine National Police (PNP) units in the area, had been working together for Ferrer’s surrender as early as May this year after the military troops received his surrender feelers.

Meanwhile, Major General Rhoderick M. Parayno, Commander of the 2nd Infantry “Jungle Fighter” Division (2ID) has commended efforts of the 76IB and the PNP in Mindoro with Ferrer’s surrender, which added to the list of two other rebels who gave up to the 76IB last June 22 this year.

Parayno stressed that the continuous surrender of the NPA in the area are clear indications that "our call for the NPAs to go back to the folds of the law is being heard."

“Rest assured that the 2ID is always open for NPA members who will decide to surrender and embraced the path to peace. We will help them get the benefits due them and link them to the different government programs to facilitate their return to normal and productive lives,” he said.

Parayno also assured that immediate and livelihood cash assistance are allotted to them under the Enhanced Comprehensive Local Integration Program (E-CLIP) of the government.

http://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1042296