SURRENDER. Elements of the 76th Infantry (Victrix) Battalion and local police in Occidental Mindoro assist three New People’s Army (NPA) surrenderers, identified only as alias “Juliet” (left), alias “Carlo” (center) and alias “Jet” (wearing blue cap), on Thursday (Sept. 20, 2018). Five other NPA members recently surrendered to government troops in Laguna. (Photo courtesy of 2ID-PAO)
CAMP GEN. MATEO CAPINPIN, Tanay, Rizal – Eight members of the New People’s Army (NPA) have surrendered to government troops in Laguna and Occidental Mindoro, a report reaching the Philippine Army's 2nd Infantry “Jungle Fighter” Division (2nd ID) headquarters said on Saturday.
Brig. Gen. Arnulfo Marcelo B. Burgos Jr., commander of the 202nd Brigade, said five rebels, all natives of Quezon province, surrendered to joint elements of the 202nd Infantry (Unifier) Brigade and the regional police office in Laguna, the other rebels gave themselves up to elements of the 76th Infantry (Victrix) Battalion in Occidental Mindoro on September 20.
He said the identities of the five surrenderers from Quezon were withheld for security reasons and two shotguns were also turned over to the authorities.
“The eventual collapse and demise of insurgency in Calabarzon is indeed irreversible. We are optimistic that more NPAs will surrender in the coming weeks,” Burgos said.
Meanwhile in Occidental Mindoro, Lt. Col. Mario Lito I. Retirva, commanding officer of 76th Infantry Battalion, said military troops identified the three surrenderers only as alias “Carlo”, 19; alias “Jet”, 25; and alias “Juliet”, 45.
Retirva disclosed that “Carlo” was a former member of the merged group of Platoon Falcon and Roque, while “Jet” belonged to Platoon Dods, both under Guerilla Front Silangan, Sub-Regional Military Area 4D, Southern Tagalog Regional Party Committee (STRPC).
“Juliet” was former medical officer of Kilusang Larangan Guerilla 2 under STRPC operating in the Mindoro provinces.
Enforcing operational jurisdiction over Mindoro Island, Brig. Gen. Antonio G. Parlade Jr., commander of the 203rd (Bantay-Kapayapaan) Brigade, said the successive surrenders show the success of the community- based negotiations of the troops, local government units (LGUs), rebels and the people.
Interviews with the eight NPA surrenderers revealed that their common reasons for returning to the fold of the law were their frustration and hopelessness over the unfulfilled promises of their NPA leaders.
“Pinangakuan kami ng hukbo ng sustento sa pamilya o ”SUPAMIL” na PHP3,000 at isang sako ng bigas kada anim na buwan sa paglilingkod sa Kilusan. Pero lahat ng iyon ay pang hikayat lang pala (We were promised by the NPA rebel group a family sustenance of PHP3,000 and a sack of rice every six months of service in the rebel movement, but all those were only meant to lure us),” said a rebel surrenderer.
Other surrenderers from Mindoro also said that they were given what was promised during the first month but that was all.
“Puro na lang kami hinge ng mga pagkain sa mga tao sa barangay. Maraming beses na kamote at saging lang ang aming kinakain. Mahirap talaga, napasubo kami (We subsisted on begging food from the villagers. On several occasions, we ate only sweet potato and bananas. It was so difficult),” one of them said.
They said they hope to clear their names so they could live normal and peaceful lives together with their families, just like their comrades who had earlier surrendered and were given another chance, as well as support by the government.
Maj. Gen. Rhoderick M. Parayno, commander of the Philippine Army’s 2nd ID, lauded the efforts of the troops against the NPA rebels in the area.
Parayno said the 2nd ID localized peace talks with the NPA and the Enhanced Comprehensive Local Integration Program (E-CLIP) of the government are gaining more surrenderers in the Calabarzon and Mimaropa regions.
“We are winning the campaign and the NPA are fast losing the people’s support. We will sustain our gains until they are defeated (at) the soonest possible time. Rest assured that NPAs who desire to surrender will be processed so they could avail of the E-CLIP,” he said.
Under the E-CLIP, a former rebel can receive PHP15,000 in immediate cash assistance and PHP50,000 in livelihood assistance, firearms remuneration, access to housing, loans, medical and legal assistance, among others.
The package of government assistance also includes educational benefits, which can be extended to the rebel’s immediate family members.
http://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1048837
No comments:
Post a Comment
Note: Only a member of this blog may post a comment.