LORETO, AGUSAN DEL SUR: Nineteen members of the New Peoples’ Army (NPA)
surrendered to the 60th Infantry Battalion amid the on-going military operations of Joint Task Force Agila (10th Infantry Division, Philippine Army) against Weakened Guerilla Front 3 (WGF 3) and Pulang Bagani Command 4 (PBC 4) of the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) Subregional Committee 4, Southern Mindanao Regional Command in the boundary of Loreto and La Paz towns.
Various guns and ammunition were laid down by members of the New People’s Army who surrendered to the military in Agusan del Sur. Negotiations started last January 25 and, as of Monday, 19 rebels have surrendered. CONTRIBUTED PHOTO
The military operations, which started last January 25, resulted in the killing of several CPP-NPA members and the recovery of numerous firearms, improvised explosive devices and subversive documents.
Mayor Lorife Otaza-Magadan of Loreto led the conduct of community dialogues in the affected areas of Sitio Moto (Barangay Poblacion), Barangay Magaud and Barangay Kasapa 1 over the weekend.
La Paz Mayor Michael Lim spearheaded the conduct of their “Government-on-Wheels” program on Monday, beginning in Barangay Kasapa 2.
Both mayors rallied their constituents to support the government’s anti-insurgency initiatives while promising to fast-track the delivery of the much-needed programs and projects in the barangay (villages).
The 1001st Infantry Brigade and 60IB have also been conducting their intensified information operations in tandem with the local government units to “enlighten the masses who have been brainwashed and exploited through the deceitful CPP-NPA-National Democratic Front propaganda and infiltration tactics.”
A certain “Ka Lindo” of WGF 3 surrendered with his firearm to the Balik-Loob Assistance Center of 60IB in Loreto a few days earlier. Ka Lindo revealed how his group had been trying to evade the military for several months while trying to focus on recovering their lost mass bases, and the recruiting and training of new members, most of whom were indigenous peoples living in far-flung villages.
On Monday, another 18 members of WGF 3 surrendered to 60IB during the La Paz LGU’s Government-on-Wheels program in Barangay Kasapa 2. Bringing with them their firearms, the group’s leader, a certain Ka Billy, volunteered to speak in front of his whole barangay during the community dialogue part of the program.
Ka Billy and his 17 comrades had an executive dialogue with La Paz Mayor Michael Lim together with 1001st Infantry Brigade Deputy Commander Colonel Glenn Jun Calambuhay and 60IB Commander Lt. Col. Ronaldo Sarmiento.
The surrenderers raised their concerns to the local chief executive and the military commanders who promised to facilitate their safe and proper reintegration to their communities.
“We’ve been here long enough to know that the [CPP-NPA] will never be able to overthrow our real government in as much as they [CPP-NPA] will never be able to provide us the programs and projects that we need here in our barangay,” Ka Billy said.
With Executive Order 70 coming full-steam and local task forces to End the Local Armed Conflict getting more and more aggressive in its campaign, Ka Billy told authorities to expect more surrenders in the coming days.
“This will greatly help our campaign to immediately end the local communist armed conflict. Even better, we are ending it more peacefully than we expected with many members of the CPP-NPA voluntarily surrendering to us instead of insisting to fight bullet to bullet,” said 1001st Infantry Brig. Commander Col. John Oberio.
“Since the full force of the government and the support of our tribal leaders and most other sectors of society is already at our disposal, you can rest assured that your personal worries, the problems of your community, and the issues once used by your former communist overlords to discredit our efforts will be addressed and resolved sooner rather than later,” Sarmiento added.
The surrenderees will be enrolled in the government’s Enhanced Comprehensive Local Integration Program where they will receive immediate cash assistance, livelihood assistance and cash remuneration for their surrendered firearms.
Mayor Lorife Otaza-Magadan of Loreto led the conduct of community dialogues in the affected areas of Sitio Moto (Barangay Poblacion), Barangay Magaud and Barangay Kasapa 1 over the weekend.
La Paz Mayor Michael Lim spearheaded the conduct of their “Government-on-Wheels” program on Monday, beginning in Barangay Kasapa 2.
Both mayors rallied their constituents to support the government’s anti-insurgency initiatives while promising to fast-track the delivery of the much-needed programs and projects in the barangay (villages).
The 1001st Infantry Brigade and 60IB have also been conducting their intensified information operations in tandem with the local government units to “enlighten the masses who have been brainwashed and exploited through the deceitful CPP-NPA-National Democratic Front propaganda and infiltration tactics.”
A certain “Ka Lindo” of WGF 3 surrendered with his firearm to the Balik-Loob Assistance Center of 60IB in Loreto a few days earlier. Ka Lindo revealed how his group had been trying to evade the military for several months while trying to focus on recovering their lost mass bases, and the recruiting and training of new members, most of whom were indigenous peoples living in far-flung villages.
On Monday, another 18 members of WGF 3 surrendered to 60IB during the La Paz LGU’s Government-on-Wheels program in Barangay Kasapa 2. Bringing with them their firearms, the group’s leader, a certain Ka Billy, volunteered to speak in front of his whole barangay during the community dialogue part of the program.
Ka Billy and his 17 comrades had an executive dialogue with La Paz Mayor Michael Lim together with 1001st Infantry Brigade Deputy Commander Colonel Glenn Jun Calambuhay and 60IB Commander Lt. Col. Ronaldo Sarmiento.
The surrenderers raised their concerns to the local chief executive and the military commanders who promised to facilitate their safe and proper reintegration to their communities.
“We’ve been here long enough to know that the [CPP-NPA] will never be able to overthrow our real government in as much as they [CPP-NPA] will never be able to provide us the programs and projects that we need here in our barangay,” Ka Billy said.
With Executive Order 70 coming full-steam and local task forces to End the Local Armed Conflict getting more and more aggressive in its campaign, Ka Billy told authorities to expect more surrenders in the coming days.
“This will greatly help our campaign to immediately end the local communist armed conflict. Even better, we are ending it more peacefully than we expected with many members of the CPP-NPA voluntarily surrendering to us instead of insisting to fight bullet to bullet,” said 1001st Infantry Brig. Commander Col. John Oberio.
“Since the full force of the government and the support of our tribal leaders and most other sectors of society is already at our disposal, you can rest assured that your personal worries, the problems of your community, and the issues once used by your former communist overlords to discredit our efforts will be addressed and resolved sooner rather than later,” Sarmiento added.
The surrenderees will be enrolled in the government’s Enhanced Comprehensive Local Integration Program where they will receive immediate cash assistance, livelihood assistance and cash remuneration for their surrendered firearms.
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