From the Manila Bulletin (May 26, 2020): Police regain control of NPA stronghold in South Cotabato (By Joseph Jubelag)
Police authorities have regained control of a New People’s Army-controlled stronghold in a mountain village in Lake Sebu, South Cotabato, following the mass surrender Monday of at least 36 New People’s Army (NPA) supporters and sympathizers.
South Cotabato Police Director Colonel Jemuel Siason said the mass surrender of the NPA community members was facilitated by the provincial government and the provincial police force in a bid to regain control of the remote mountain village bordering the provinces of South Cotabato, Sultan Kudarat and Sarangani from the influence of Communist rebels for the past years.
He said for the past years the surrenderers disguised themselves as ordinary members of the community but pledged their allegiance to the shadowy government of the Communist underground group.
He said the surrenderers opted to abandon the Communist group, and returned to mainstream society by availing of the government’s peace and reconciliation initiatives as prescribed under President Duterte’s Executive Order No.70 which mandates a whole-of-the-nation approach to put an end to Communist armed conflict in the countryside.
The surrenderers burned the NPA flag as a gesture of their withdrawal of allegiance from the NPA, the armed wing of the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP), as they later took their oath of allegiance to the government.
Siason said the surrenderees were given relief packs and cash assistance by the provincial government while waiting for their enlistment into the Comprehensive Local Integration Program where they will be provided with livelihood assistance and job opportunities by the provincial government.
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