NPA rebel surrenders after 15 years

From the Manila Times (Jul 25): NPA rebel surrenders after 15 years

CAMP GEN. MATEO CAPINPIN, Tanay, Rizal: Another member of the communist New People’s Army (NPA) surrendered to the joint elements of the 76th Infantry Battalion (76IB) and the 402nd Mobile Police Company in Occidental Mindoro on Monday after 15 years of armed struggle against the government.

Lt Col Mario Lito Retirva, the acting commanding officer of the 76IB, identified the surrenderee as Ronnie Ferrer, 42 years old, medical officer of Platoon Falcon (formerly known as Kilusang Larangang Guerilla: Yam-ay), Sub- Regional Military Area-4D, Southern Tagalog Regional Party Committee (STRPC).

According to Retirva, Ferrer was one of the fugitive group known as “Batangas 9” among more or less 20 NPA rebels who raided the Batangas Provincial City Jail on January 6, 2006. The raiders broke the cell and freed their jailed comrades and other prisoners including inmates facing drug related cases.

During the interview, Ferrer said that he was recruited at the age of 18 by a left leaning youth organization. that required them to attend mass rallies and protests and were gradually brainwashed to hate the government through discussions of social and political issues.

He said the failure of the Communist Party of the Philippines-New People’s Army-National Democratic Front (CPP-NPA-NDF) leadership to provide for his medical needs and the false hopes the organization raised made him decide to abandon the armed struggle and return to a normal life. He added that he experienced starvation due to the dwindling support from the masses and intensified combat operations.

Ferrer also confirmed reports that the CPP-NPA-NDF in Mindoro is continuously recruiting indigenous people (IP). ‘’The Mangyans who are in the hinterlands are primarily recruited because they are easier to convince and manipulate,’’ he said.

According to Retirva, the 76IB together and the PNP in the area had been working together as early as May this year after they received his surrender feelers.

Last June 22, two other NPA members surrendered to the 76IB.

Meanwhile, Major General Rhoderick Parayno, Commander of the 2nd Infantry Division (2ID), lauded the efforts of the 76IB and the PNP in Mindoro.

’The continuous surrender of the NPA in the area is a clear indications that our call for the NPAs to go back to the fold of the law is being heard,’’ he added.

“Rest assured that the 2ID is always open to NPA members who will decide to surrender and embrace 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. Immediate livelihood cash assistance are allotted to them under the Enhanced Comprehensive Local Integration Program of the government,” Parayno said.

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