Kalinaw News: 34 Communist Terrorist Group members surrender anew in Sultan Kudarat

From Kalinaw News (Jun 3, 2021): 34 Communist Terrorist Group members surrender anew in Sultan Kudarat

Camp Navarro, Calarian, Zamboanga City – June 2, 2021

Thirty-four Communist Terrorist Group (CTG) members yielded to Joint Task Force Central on June 1st. “Based on report from the ground, the 34 CTG personalities are members of Dragon Fruit Platoon, Cherry Mobile, Myphone, and LGU 1, all under East Daguma Front, Sub-regional Committee Daguma, Far South Mindanao Region who surrendered to the different units under the 603rd Infantry Brigade,” said Lieutenant General Corleto Vinluan, Jr., Commander, Western Mindanao Command. 21 of the 34 surrendered in Lebak and were presented to 603Bde Commander, Colonel Eduardo Gubat and Lebak Mayor Frederick Celestial at the Municipal Hall on Tuesday morning.

According to Colonel Gubat, the surrender of the CTG members is a result of the relentless efforts of the military in partnership with the Local Government Unit of Lebak, member agencies of the Lebak MTF-ELCAC, and the community. Meanwhile, 13 CTG personalities returned to the fold of law and denounced the communist movement in Kalamansig on the afternoon of same day. All 34 ex-reds received immediate cash and livelihood assistance from Governor Suharto Teng Mangudadatu of the Province of Sultan Kudarat and the local government units of Lebak and Kalamansig.

They will temporarily be sheltered at the halfway houses of Sultan Kudarat while their enrolment to the E-CLIP program is in process. “The series of surrender of former CTG members are manifestations that their organization is dwindling and on the brink of defeat. Through our intensified collaboration with the Regional Task Force – ELCAC XII, the Provincial and Municipal Government Units of Sultan Kudarat, and the community, we are hopeful that more NPA members will be encouraged to surrender and live normal lives again with their families,” said Major General Juvymax Uy, Commander, Joint Task Force Central.

Former rebels handed over their firearms and explosives to the government forces as a gesture of their sincere intent to abandon their armed struggle. Since January 2021, Joint Task Force Central listed a total of 73 CTG surrenders and 66 firearms and explosives recovered. Further, troops of the 603rd Infantry Brigade also facilitated the surrender of a Daulah Islamiyah-Maguid Group sub-leader still in Sultan Kudarat on June 2, 2021.

Subject handed over five high-powered firearms including one M653 Colt rifle with magazine and 18 rounds of ammunition, one M16A1 Colt rifle with magazine and 30 rounds ammunition, cal, 30 M1 Carbine with magazine and 14 round of ammunition, one cal. 30 Garand H&R Armscor converted to M14 rifle with magazine and 18 rounds of ammunition, and one Cal. 30 M1 Garand with one clip and 7 rounds of ammunition.

“Congratulations to the troops of JTF Central for these accomplishments,” said Lieutenant General Vinluan, Jr. “Let us continue to employ the whole-of-nation approach to aid terrorists who wish to cross the line and join the mainstream society,” he added.

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