Kalinaw News: 1 Run Away NPA Member Rescued After an Encounter with Government Troops in Surigao del Norte

From Kalinaw News (Mar 6, 2021): 1 Run Away NPA Member Rescued After an Encounter with Government Troops in Surigao del Norte

Gigaquit, Surigao del Norte – An armed member of the New People’s Army (NPA) Sandatahang Yunit Pampropaganda (SYP) 16C2, Guerilla Front16, North Eastern Mindanao Regional Committee (NEMRC) who run away from the said bandit group was rescued by the troops of 30th Infantry (Fight On) Battalion, Philippine Army bringing along with him his M14 rifle after a firefight transpired at vicinity Serinihon, Brgy Camp Edward, Alegria, Surigao del Norte, Friday morning March 5, 2021.

The said NPA member revealed after he was successfully rescued, that he decided to breakout from the group as he was fed up with the lies and failed promises of the NPA Terrorists’ group and upon learning the benefits and the seriousness of the government to help Former Rebels thru its Enhanced Comprehensive Local Integration Programs (ECLIP). Necessary information of the ECLIP, other pertinent data including contact cellphone numbers has been massively disseminated by the 30IB troops either thru its regular radio programs that reaches the far-flung areas of the Battalion’s area of operations and distributions of leaflets in an effort to reach out NPA’s active members and to provide them with means to contact the troops and other government agencies.

Prior to the encounter, said personality reached out to the Unit’s hotline Cellphone while he was on his way out from the NPA terrorist group and being chased by several of his ex-comrades. Responding on the said information, the unit sent out a patrol to purposely extricate the said defecting NPA member. While approaching the designated meeting place, the government troops encountered more or less seven NPA members of SYP16C2, GF16. The encounter lasted about ten minutes of firefight giving the said defecting NPA an opportunity to further secure himself along with his issued M14, seven magazines with twenty-one (21) live ammos and one bandolier. Following the said incident, 30IB troops successfully secured and brought him safely at the headquarters of 30IB in Brgy Mahanub, Gigaquit, SDN. He is now under the custody of 30IB for proper documentation and processing of his benefits under the Enhanced Comprehensive Local Integration Program.

The defecting NPA lamented, “Malisod di ya kahimtang ka banwa daw anisab kanaong na batian nga madajaw sa ya kahimyang na mga kaibahan nga mingbaba ka una” Daw nakitan sab nao nga wara ya kahamjangan ka kalihukan agun min baba koman hao kay para maka hula ka mahamjang“. Situation in the mountain is hard, I’ve heard that my former comrades who surrendered before are now living peacefully, and I also noticed that there is no better life in the armed struggle, that’s the reason, I surrendered in order to live peacefully”

In his statement, Lt Col Ryan Charles G Callanta, the Commanding Officer of 30IB said that “The fateful incident is a clear manifestation that NPA ranks are slowly disintegrating making most of their ordinary members tired and fed up with the endless false promises and lies by its leaders giving them empty hopes. One can imagine how hard it is to being always on the run, hiding, when tiredness and hunger crept in, how can one endure these dire situations? Amidst of this, we continue to urge the remaining active NPA members to decide and embrace the path of peace and avail the governments’ reintegration program, the ECLIP. Rest assured that we will assist them along with respective LGUs of Surigao del Norte to re-start their lives and build their future with their families and loved ones through the foundation of peace, free from fear and intimidations.”



[Kalinaw News is the official online source of information on the pursuit for peace in the Philippines This website is a property of the Civil-Military Operations Regiment, Philippine Army located at Lawton Avenue, Fort Bonifacio, Taguig City. Contact us: kalinawnews@cmoregiment.com]

https://www.kalinawnews.com/1-run-away-npa-member-rescued-after-an-encounter-with-government-troops-in-surigao-del-norte/