The Philippine military on Friday announced the surrender of over a dozen communist insurgents in the restive southern region of Mindanao where guerrillas are fighting for a separate Maoist state.
Army Major General Felimon Santos Jr., chief of the Eastern Mindanao, said 13 insurgents had surrendered to the 25th Infantry Battalion in Compostela Valley’s Monkayo town. He said the group also handed over three rifles, one improvised explosive device and 40 kilos of ammonium nitrate and 190m pieces of blasting caps, including documents from the New People’s Army or NPA.
Military photos released to the regional newspaper Mindanao Examiner show the surrendered NPA rebels and assorted weapons.
He said another NPA squad leader, whose name was not made public by the army, also yielded to the 88th Infantry Battalion in Arakan town in North Cotabato province.
“The surrenderees are presently undergoing custodial debriefing by our military units. They will be subsequently subjected to needs assessment interview by government agencies concerned in preparation for their enrolment with the Enhanced Comprehensive Local Integration Program which prepares them in their return to the mainstream society,” Santos said.
The program, launched several decades ago and evolved with different names throughout years, aims to lure rebels to surrender peacefully and return to the fold of the law. It also provides financial aid in exchange for weapons surrendered by rebels and this is on top of livelihood skills training and housing program for each of them so they start a new life with their family.
There was no immediate statement from the NPA on the surrender of the rebels.
https://mindanaoexaminer.com/14-insurgents-yield-to-military-in-mindanao/
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