AT least 84 former members of the New People’s Army (NPA) have joined the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) and were given the rank of private following months of rigorous military training.
The new soldiers are among the 275 Army recruits, who graduated from two batches of candidate soldier courses administered by the Army’s 4th Infantry “Diamond” Division.
The 275 new soldiers, all with the rank of a private, are lumads, former members of the Civilian Armed Forces Geographical Unit and former members of the NPA who have yielded to the government.
Capt. Regie H. Go, acting spokesman of the 4th ID, said the Army recruits officially joined the service following a joint closing ceremony late last week in Malaybalay City, Bukidnon.
The new enlisted personnel went through grueling months of training administered by the 4th Division Training School (4DTS), which registered the military’s record-high number of former rebels as trainees.
Go, quoting Lt. Col. Jeff Villanueva, commander of the 4DTS, said that both classes forming the 275 new soldiers, entered the military training during the fourth quarter of last year and began their Jungle Warfare Mountain Operation Course in April this year.
One of the enlisted personnel whom Go identified through his alias as Rios, reportedly a former vice commander of the NPA operating in Mindanao, thanked the government for giving him and the other former rebels a chance to join the service.
“I have never regretted my decision to return to the folds of the law and so, I call on to those who are still in the mountains, there’s a better life waiting for you here and the NPA will never be able to give you a peaceful life,” Go quoted Rios as saying.
Maj. Gen. Franco Nemesio Gacal, commander of the 4th ID, welcomed the new members of the Diamond troopers.
“You are now officially soldiers, use the skills, knowledge and discipline which you have learned from DTS to protect our fellow Filipinos. Let us uphold our honor, patriotism and duty to our beloved country,” he told the new soldiers.
“I also congratulate the 4DTS for a job well done. Let us continue to produce world-class soldiers who have burning desires to fight for long-lasting peace in Mindanao,” he added.
Go said the 275 privates will be deployed to the different units of 4th ID in Mindanao.
The new enlisted personnel went through grueling months of training administered by the 4th Division Training School (4DTS), which registered the military’s record-high number of former rebels as trainees.
Go, quoting Lt. Col. Jeff Villanueva, commander of the 4DTS, said that both classes forming the 275 new soldiers, entered the military training during the fourth quarter of last year and began their Jungle Warfare Mountain Operation Course in April this year.
One of the enlisted personnel whom Go identified through his alias as Rios, reportedly a former vice commander of the NPA operating in Mindanao, thanked the government for giving him and the other former rebels a chance to join the service.
“I have never regretted my decision to return to the folds of the law and so, I call on to those who are still in the mountains, there’s a better life waiting for you here and the NPA will never be able to give you a peaceful life,” Go quoted Rios as saying.
Maj. Gen. Franco Nemesio Gacal, commander of the 4th ID, welcomed the new members of the Diamond troopers.
“You are now officially soldiers, use the skills, knowledge and discipline which you have learned from DTS to protect our fellow Filipinos. Let us uphold our honor, patriotism and duty to our beloved country,” he told the new soldiers.
“I also congratulate the 4DTS for a job well done. Let us continue to produce world-class soldiers who have burning desires to fight for long-lasting peace in Mindanao,” he added.
Go said the 275 privates will be deployed to the different units of 4th ID in Mindanao.
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