Posted to Kalinaw News (Nov11, 2020): 12 CNTs Yield to the Army through village Chief’s Aid
NSFA, Panacan, Davao City – Twelve Communist Party of the Philippines-New People’s Army Terrorists (CNTs) surrendered to the combined troops of the 58th Infantry Battalion (58th IB) and the 2nd Scout Ranger Battalion (2SRB) through the intervention of a village chief at Sitio Langusahan, Barangay Minalwang, Claveria in Misamis Oriental on November 8, 2020.
The 12 surrenderees which included three teenagers were composed of high-ranking CNT members belonging to the North Central Mindanao Regional Committee (NCMRC).
The result of the operation was attributed by the Military to the active support of local officials of Barangay Minalwang, Claveria in ending the local communist armed conflict and to the intensified operations launched by the 402nd Infantry Brigade along the quad-boundary of Misamis Oriental, Bukidnon, Agusan del Norte, and Agusan del Sur.
The surrender of the 12 CNTs also led to the discovery of three arms caches containing several high-powered and low-powered firearms and ammunitions, among others. The yielders revealed that the sustained Focus Military Operations (FMOs) of the troops had propelled them to surrender to the government after experiencing starvation and struggling to survive in the mountains.
The active participation of the populace in tackling the local insurgency also made their life under the armed struggle even more challenging and unbearable especially that their mere presence in the communities could easily trigger reports to the authorities, the surrenderees revealed.
Lt. Gen. Jose C. Faustino, Jr, the Commander of Eastern Mindanao Command, attributed the success of the unit operations to the proactive involvement of the communities and the local leaders in ending local armed conflict in the region.
“The communities’ growing cooperation signifies that they have already developed an aversion to and had grown tired of the CTG’s atrocities that had stunted the economic growth in their areas for many years. This is also a clear manifestation that the communities, especially the IP communities who are vulnerable to exploitation and recruitment, no longer want them,” Lt. Gen Faustino said.
“This is now a critical moment for the CNTs and their allies to decide to relent. Those who continue to support the armed struggle can be likened to that of a drowning man clutching at straws. Their only ticket out of this situation is to voluntarily surrender to the government,” Lt. Gen. Faustino added.
Lt. Gen. Faustino also reiterated his call to the remaining active CNTs to surrender and avail of the government’s services before it’s too late.
“To the remaining CNTs out there, come and lay down your arms. The government’s door is always open to accept and help you through the Enhanced Comprehensive Local Integration Program (E-CLIP). However, if you refuse to heed our call, we will not think twice in using our force to neutralize you for the greater good of the Filipino people who only want nothing but peace,” Lt. Gen. Faustino said.
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