From Kalinaw News (Jun 17, 2021): Recent encounter forced two NPA rebels to surrender; 5 high-powered firearms seized
CLAVERIA, MISAMIS ORIENTAL – Two rebels of the New People’s Army (NPA) surrendered and revealed arms cache to the joint forces of the 58th Infantry “Dimalulupig” Battalion (58IB) and the 1001st MC, RMFB at Brgy Dampil, Lagonglong, Misamis Oriental, June 14, 2021.
It can be recalled that last June 07 an encounter between the 58th Infantry Battalion troops and NPA transpired in the hinterlands of Barangay Mimbuli, Salay which resulted to the death of alias ‘Dariel’ a member of Platoon Cherry Mobile, Sub-Regional Committee 1(SRC1), North Central Mindanao Regional Command (NCMRC).
Following the encounter, an information was disclosed from concerned civilians that the members of the NPAs dispersed to small groups and would attempt to consolidate and regroup. Acting upon the information, a Joint AFP-PNP pursuit operation was conducted in the same municipality that led to the surrender of the two.
The surrenderees were identified as alias ‘Jukol’, Vice Commander and alias ‘Esay’, Medic of Platoon Cherry Mobile, SRC1, NCMRC. According to them, they were present during the recent encounter at Barangay Mimbuli, Salay, where they realized how their lives were in jeopardy and that they were fighting for a losing cause, forcing them to surrender.
Jukol and Esay, being in good faith, divulged the locations of firearms cache at two different locations in the hinterlands of Barangay Saray of the same municipality. They buried their issued firearms after the encounter for fear of being tracked down by pursuing elements of the Army’s 58th Infantry Battalion. The troops’ seized items include five high-powered firearms composed of two M16 rifles, one AK47, and two .30 cal carbine rifles.
Meanwhile, Lieutenant Colonel Ricky L Canatoy, Commanding Officer of 58th Infantry Battalion said, “The number of communist terrorist groups is shrinking and they are under pressure from the government to surrender due to the loss of their forces and mass bases. Furthermore, their surrender demonstrates that they are fed up with the NPAs’ erroneous ideology. This also implies that their trust and support are now shifted from the NPA to the government. Rest assured that the Army will not stop until the last member of armed group member surrenders and receives benefits under the Enhanced Comprehensive and Local Integration Program (ECLIP).”
Lieutenant Colonel Canatoy concluded, “I hope that the different stakeholders will continue their commitment to implement the ECLIP to motivate the remaining members of the NPA to lay down their arms and return to the folds of the law.”
[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]
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