Kalinaw News: 6 NPA members yield to government in AgSur, peacefully lay down 6 firearms

Posted to Kalinaw News (Nov 30, 2020): 6 NPA members yield to government in AgSur, peacefully lay down 6 firearms



TALACOGON, Agusan del Sur – Six (6) New People’s Army (NPA) members and supporters yielded and peacefully laid down their firearms to the forces of 26th Infantry (Ever Onward) Battalion at Headquarters 26IB, November 26 2020.

The surrenderees were AKA Barungos, six (6) years in the armed struggle; AKA Jemuel, with two (2) years experience as squad leader; AKA Labtik, a former Militia ng Bayan (MB) member; AKA Dondon, an MB member for seven (7) years together with his wife AKA Denden, an extortion collector and MB and; AKA Banjie, a Platoon Medic for seven (7) months and was impregnated by her colleague. All of them belong to Guerilla Front (GF) 88 of the North Central Mindanao Regional Committee (NCMRC) operating in the municipality of San Luis and some parts of La Paz all of ADS.

After realizing the pointlessness of their armed struggle, said surrenderees peacefully laid down six (6) firearms to the government forces. The surrendered firearms composed of one (1) AK47, one (1) M14 rifle, one (1) M16 Rifle and one (1) M1 Carbine Rifle, one (1) Cal 45 pistol and one (1) Cal 38 revolver. Also, other surrendered items included a total of seven (7) magazines and seventy-seven (77) ammunitions.

The voluntary surrender of these former rebels (FRs) was made possible through the joint efforts of the 401st Infantry (Unity) Brigade and the Intelligence Section of 26IB in collaboration with the Peace, Law Enforcement and Development (PLED) Support Team Clusters of the Municipal Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (MTF-ELCAC) of San Luis, ADS.

“Nadasig ko sa pagsurrender tungod sa kalisod nga akong nasinati sulod sa kalihukan, kung diin kini nagdoot kana sa hustong kalisod ug kaalaot sa kinabuhi. Isip bug-os nga tingong sa akong lima ka kaubanang nisurender, dala namu ang among kinasing kasing nga pagbalik sa sabakan sa atong goberno sa pilipinas, ug ang among mga armas inubanan sa among mga panghinaot nga kami makabaton na ug hapsay ug malaomon nga pagpuyo uban ang among pamilya,” AKA Barungos, who’ve been fighting the government for six (6) years said. Meanwhile, Lt. Col. Reynald Romel A. Goce, Commanding Officer of 26IB, applauded the six (6) surrenderees for their courage and eagerness in turning back to the folds of law.

“Welcome back to the mainstream society. You’ve just made the best decision in your life, before this year ends. I am happy to commend all of you for coming back to the fold of law without fear and hesitation,” he said.

“We are calling our brothers and sisters who are still in the armed group to lay down your arms in order to live a peaceful and meaningful lives together with your loved ones especially this coming Christmas. The five decades of armed struggle have brought senseless death and miseries to hundreds of thousands of our countrymen. Surrender now and we will aspire for a peaceful country,” Lt. Col. Goce ended.

Currently, the unit of 26IB is conducting Custodial Debriefing to the surrenderees and they will be processed for the enrollment in the Enhanced Comprehensive Local Integration Program (E-CLIP) benefits, a government program that aims to help the rebel members of CPP-NPA-NDF and MB to restore their allegiance to the Philippine government.

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