84 NPA supporters surrender in Rizal

From the Philippine News Agency (Apr 23, 2021): 84 NPA supporters surrender in Rizal (By Christopher Lloyd Caliwan)

STARTING A NEW LIFE. At least 84 underground supporters of the communist movement pledge their allegiance to the government in a ceremony in Antipolo City, Rizal on Friday (April 23, 2021). PNP chief, Gen. Debold Sinas, said this is another victory of the government against the communist terrorist groups. (Photo courtesy of PNP-PIO)

The Philippine National Police (PNP) on Friday declared another victory against the Communist Party of the Philippines-New People's Army-National Democratic Front (CPP-NPA-NDF) with the surrender of 84 underground supporters in Antipolo City, Rizal province.

PNP deputy chief for operations, Lt. Gen. Joselito Vera Cruz; 2nd Infantry Division commander, Maj. Gen. Bartolome Vicente Q. Bacarro; and Rizal Governor Casimiro Ynares, led the ceremony for the surrender and declaration of allegiance of the surrenderers who all came from Calabarzon (Cavite, Laguna, Batangas, Rizal and Quezon) at the Antipolo Institute of Technology in Barangay San Jose.

During the rites, the former supporters of the CPP-NPA-NDF publicly burned the communist terrorists' flags as a sign of their disgust.

In his message read by Vera Cruz, PNP chief, Gen. Debold Sinas, thanked the former rebel supporters for their renewed trust in the government.

Meanwhile, Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) director Maj. Gen. Albert Ignatius D. Ferro said the activity is an initiative of CIDG that aims at establishing the direct links of the armed operations of the CPP-NPA-NDF to their urban–based and legal front organizations.

This undertaking served as a proof of convergence of the government’s efforts or the impact of its approach combined with local peace initiatives evidenced by the nationwide influx of surrenderers as well as a message of hope that there is life outside the communist terrorists for the government will always welcome with open arms those returnees to the folds of the law.

The activity ended with a Serbisyo Caravan and Mobile Kitchen as part of the “Victory Day Activities”.

This joint effort of the PNP and AFP in achieving peace and establishing community partnership for security and development made this event possible, making this day a victorious one for the nation and the government.

The CPP-NPA is listed as a terrorist organization by the United States, the European Union, the United Kingdom, Australia, Canada, New Zealand, and the Philippines.

https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1137797