SURRENDERED REBELS. Seventeen members of the New People's Army (NPA) who have surrendered to the police and military troops in Aurora province, are presented to acting Governor Christian Noveras on Thursday (Feb. 13, 2020). Fifteen of them voluntarily surrendered to the Aurora Police Provincial Office while two gave themselves up to the 91st Infantry “Sinagtala” Battalion of the Philippine Army. (Photo courtesy of the 91st Infantry Battalion, Philippine Army)
BALER, Aurora -- Three members of the New People's Army (NPA) surrendered to police and military troops in this province on Thursday, bringing the total number of rebels who returned to the fold of the law this year to 17.
The surrenderers were presented to acting Governor Christian Noveras at the governor’s office here.
Fifteen of the 17 NPA members voluntarily surrendered to the Aurora Police Provincial Office (APPO) while two yielded to the 91st Infantry “Sinagtala” Battalion, Philippine Army.
Aurora police provincial director, Col. Raul Siriban, in an interview with the Philippine News Agency (PNA), said the rebels surrendered in batches starting last January, citing hardships in the mountains.
“The rebel returnees said they left the underground movement due to misunderstanding with their leaders, hardships and unfulfilled promises,” he said.
Siriban said the three newly surrendered rebels are now undergoing custodial debriefings.
He said he talked with the former insurgents one at a time and found out that some of them came from Mindanao as reinforcement of the NPA's Komiteng Larangang Guerilla (KLG) Sierra Madre.
“Some of them arrived before Christmas to reinforce the decreasing number of CPP (Communist Party of the Philippines)-NPA in Aurora,” Siriban said.
He also said acting Governor Noveras is very thankful for the mass surrender of the rebels and welcomed them with a promise to provide them proper assistance from the provincial government.
Siriban added that the surrendered rebels will be enrolled in the comprehensive local integration program of the government.
https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1093791
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