Kalinaw News: Total Surrender: Guerilla Front 33 Yields to Whole-of-Nation Effort in Davao Region

Posted to Kalinaw News (Dec 19, 2020): Total Surrender: Guerilla Front 33 Yields to Whole-of-Nation Effort in Davao Region



Maco, Davao de Oro- Following a major encounter in New Corella, Davao del Norte between troops of 25th Infantry Battalion and CPP-NPA’s Weakened Guerilla Front 33 on December 12, one amazon was killed and a total of 26 NPA regulars surrendered to the authorities.

The combat operations against WGF 33 was launched a week earlier after intelligence reports affirmed their presence in the hinterlands of New Corella and Asuncion, Davao del Norte.

Erstwhile, 25IB and 60th Infantry Battalion have deployed their Community Support Program (CSP) Teams in over 20 barangays in the aforementioned towns including San Isidro of Davao del Norte and Laak of Davao de Oro since March this year to aid in the dismantling of the said communist terrorist groups.

The initial encounter between government troops and the NPA resulted to the surrender of Gabriel Cano Frias, aka Brando, with two (2) M16 rifles, two (2) M14 rifles and one (1) M653 rifle. A succeeding encounter resulted to the death of one NPA amazon and the surrender of Meakaella Llanos aka Mawi with one (1) M16 rifle and one (1) AK47 rifle.

With the help of Brando, Mawi, other surrenderees (former rebels), and the families of the remaining WGF 33 members—who had already been in contact with the military prior the incident—Christian Pastor aka Khan, Commanding Officer of WGF 33, Dino Bazar aka Denden, Front Secretary, and Malou Pandanaon, member, Abe Segunda also surrendered to the troops. They brought with them another M16 rifle.

By December 14, fifteen (15) more members of WGF 33 surrendered to 25IB bringing with them three (3) more high-powered firearms.

On the other hand, 60IB has been conducting complementary CMO and Intelligence Operations in their side of the Area of Operations. This resulted to the surrender of six (6) more members of WGF 33 with four (4) high-powered firearms.

In total, this recent operation resulted to the neutralization of 29 (additional 4 surrendered to 60IB on December 16) members and recovery of 15 firearms of WGF 33.

Per revelation of the surrenderees, the extreme pressure from the military’s thorough TRIAD operations coupled with the initiatives of the respective local government units, national government agencies, and friendly civil-society organizations—that is, from our intelligence and CMO operators’ series of negotiations with their families, friends, and former comrades to the pressure from our CSP Teams’ presence and activities in their communities together with the LGUs and other instrumentalities of government—has really had its toll to their group.

Add to this, the persisting issues of corruption and abuse of power by their communist-terrorist leaders, the continuing demoralization of their members, and the exponential shrinking of their mobility corridors and mass bases left them no choice but to totally surrender.

COL LUIS REX D BERGANTE INF (GSC) PA the Brigade Commander of 1001st “PAG-ASA” Brigade extend condolences to the families of @AMY. Col Bergante also lauded the troops and reiterates his message to remaining NPAs to lay down their arms and instead embrace peace, It is just unfortunate that someone lost her life. “In the spirit of Christmas, come to us and we would be happy to help you join with your family like your former comrades who are now happy and looking forward in celebrating Christmas and New Year with their respective families”.

Meanwhile, the leadership of 10ID expressed the same sympathy to the family of killed NPA. MGen Reuben Basiao commended the brave men and officers under 1001st Brigade, the LGU and residents of New Corella for their united effort in preventing communist-terrorists from destroying the Peace that the community has started to experienced. With the destruction of armed elements of GF 33, your armed forces together with the LGUs will continue to push for developmental programs. According to Governor Edwin Jubahib, “this time programs and projects in Davao Norte will be unhampered with the possible dissolution of GF 33.”

The surrenderees were presented to the public yesterday December 17, 2020.

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