Kalinaw News: Another 246 CTG Members and Supporters Surrender in Masbate, Pledge Support to Government’s Anti-Insurgency Campaign

Posted to Kalinaw News (Sep 25, 2021): Another 246 CTG Members and Supporters Surrender in Masbate, Pledge Support to Government’s Anti-Insurgency Campaign



CAMP ELIAS ANGELES, Pili, Camarines Sur-Heeding the call of the government to abandon the useless cause of the Communist Terrorist Group (CTG), members and supporters of the terrorist group in Masbate continue to surrender in droves.

During the peace rallies being conducted in different parts of the island province, the surrenderers publicly denounced CTG’s terrorism along with their pledge of support to the government’s campaign to end the communist insurgency.

Again in Dimasalang, 13 Sangay ng Partido sa Lokalidad (SPL) members and nine supporters surrendered on September 18 while on September 19, another 42 SPL members, six Militiang Bayan (MB) members and 12 supporters yielded.

In Uson, 13 SPL members and 11 supporters surrendered on September 20 while on September 21, one regular NPA member, seven SPL members and 12 supporters also surrendered.

Meanwhile, a whopping 120 surrenderers composed of five regular NPA members, 13 Militiang Bayan (MB) members, 90 Sangay ng Partido sa Lokalidad members and 12 supporters withdrew their membership and support from the CPP-NPA-NDF in Barangay Mapuyo, Mobo on September 24.

The group also took part in the burning of the replica of CTG’s flag and the effigy of Jose Maria Sison which was initiated by the Barangay officials headed by Barangay Chairman Alfonso Arellano, tanods and the residents of Mapuyo.

Lt. Col. Siegfried Felipe Awichen, Battalion Commander of 2nd Infantry Battalion (2IB) considered the continuous surrender of CTG members and supporters to the Community Support Program (CSP) Teams and PNP in the province as one of the major breakthroughs of the Army’s CSP operations.

Col. Aldwine Almase, Brigade Commander of 903rd Infantry Brigade, lauded the unyielding efforts of the military and police which contributed significantly to the unstoppable gains of the government in Masbate.

“Maliban sa CSP, tuloy-tuloy din ang Retooled Community Support Program (RCSP) ng DILG sa iba’t ibang bahagi ng Masbate kaya naniniwala tayong marami pa ang susuko. Idagdag pa natin ang pagdodoble-kayod ng ating mga LGUs at local chief executives upang kondenahin at itaboy ang CTG sa kanilang lalawigan. Bunsod nito, naniniwala tayong hindi lang hihina kundi tuluyan ng maglalaho ang communist insurgency sa Masbate,” Col. Almase said.

Moreover, Police Regional Office-5 (PRO-5) under PBGEN JONNEL C ESTOMO thanked the surrenderers for abandoning the useless cause of the CTG along with their pledge to help the anti-insurgency campaign of the government.

“Itong panibagong grupo ng mga CTG members at supporters na nagbalik-loob sa pamahalaan ay magiging mga buhay na patunay na ang pagbabago ay nakasalalay sa pagkakaisa at hindi sa paghahasik ng karahasan at terorismo,” PBGen. Estomo said.

Meanwhile, for MGEN HENRY A ROBINSON JR PA, Commander of Joint Task Force (JTF) Bicolandia, the continuous mass surrenders in Masbate creates a ripple effect that is why even in the mainland Bicol, more and more members and supporters of CTG are returning to the folds of the law.

“Nagpapasalamat tayong muli sa mga Masbateño sapagkat kung wala ang kanilang buong suporta sa ating mithiing tapusin ang communist insurgency, hindi magbubunga ang ating mga pagsisikap. Lahat ng ating mga nakakamit na tagumpay ay nagsisilbing inspirasyon upang lalo pa nating pag-ibayuhin ang ating kampanya laban sa terorismo at insurhensya,” MGen. Robinson said.

In total, 1,065 CTG members and supporters returned to the folds of the law for this year alone in the entire Bicol region, including these series of mass surrenders and the 113 surrenderers last September 14-17 in Dimasalang.

[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/another-246-ctg-members-and-supporters-surrender-in-masbate-pledge-support-to-governments-anti-insurgency-campaign/