Kalinaw News: Inspired by Continuous Mass Surrenders in Masbate, Another Batch of CTG Members in Mainland Bicol Abandon the Terrorist Group

Posted to Kalinaw News (Oct 7, 2021): Inspired by Continuous Mass Surrenders in Masbate, Another Batch of CTG Members in Mainland Bicol Abandon the Terrorist Group



CAMP ELIAS ANGELES, Pili, Camarines Twenty-seven members of the Communist Terrorist Group (CTG) are now added to the snowballing number of surrenderers in Bicol as the government sustains the momentum in its fight against communist insurgency.

Five of the surrenderers were regular NPA members who are part of Larangan 1, Komiteng Probinsya 3 of Bicol Regional Party Committee (BRPC) including alias Weweng, the second in rank of Platoon 1, alias Jelay, logistics officer and alias Bricks, their squad leader while ten of others were members of the Sangay ng Partido sa Lokalidad (SPL).

The group also turned in an M16 rifle, KG9, caliber .45 pistol, two caliber .38 revolvers, two anti-personnel mines, blasting cap and 8-meter wire.

Lt. Col. Marlon Mojica, Battalion Commander of 31st Infantry Battalion, welcomed the new batch of surrenderers at Barangay Rangas, Juban, Sorsogon around 6 o’clock in the evening, Wednesday, October 6.

Today, as early as 7 o’clock in the morning, another six regular NPA members from the same guerilla unit including their leader, alias Toraok, voluntarily surrendered to the troops together with six SPL members who brought with them one M14 rifle, AR 15 and ingram.

They said that upon learning about the continuous surrender of their former comrades who are now living a life that is not haunted by fear and danger, they also mustered their courage to ask help from the government troops.

According to Lt. Col. Mojica, this development is the fruit of the combined efforts of the Army, PNP, local government units (LGUs), local chief executives, and the Bicolanos.

Col. Aldwine Almase, Brigade Commander of 903rd Infantry Brigade, stressed that the non-stop mass surrenders in the area of 903rd Brigade in the southern part of Bicol, especially in Masbate and Sorsogon serve as an eye-opener and inspire the remaining communist insurgents to yield.

“Matapos ang walang humpay na pagsuko ng mga dati nilang kasamahan lalo na sa Masbate at Sorsogon, inasahan na natin ito at natitiyak natin na mas darami pa ang magbabalik-loob na mga miyembro at tagasuporta ng CTG hindi lang sa islang probinsya kundi sa buong rehiyon. Sa mga nagbalik-loob, ang inyo pong kasundaluhan ay nalulugod at mainit na tinatanggap ang inyong pagsuko. Kami po ay kasama ninyo at tutulungan kayo sa pagbabagong buhay sa pamamagitan ng mga programa ng pamahalaan. Sa natitirang CTG members, huwag na po kayong magdalawang-isip pa na sundan ang yapak ng mga dati ninyong kasamahan at tuluyang magbagong buhay para muling makasama ang inyong mga mahal sa buhay,” Col. Almase said.

Police Regional Office 5 (PRO-5) under PBGEN JONNEL C ESTOMO, on the other hand, congratulated the surrenders for finally abandoning the terrorist group.

“Ito na ang isa sa pinakamagandang desisyong nagawa ninyo hindi lamang para sa inyong mga sarili kundi sa inyong mga pamilya at sa kanilang kinabukasan,” PBGen. Estomo said.

Meanwhile, MGEN HENRY A ROBINSON JR PA, Commander of the Joint Task Force (JTF) Bicolandia once again enjoined the LGUs and local chief executives (LCEs) to continue their active participation in the government’s thrust to get rid the CTG in every community in Bicol.

“Napakalaki ng naitutulong ng mga LGU at LCE sa ating adhikaing wakasan ang armadong tunggalian dahil sila ang nagsisilbing boses ng kanilang mga constituents at may kapangyarihan silang itakwil ang CTG sa kani-kanilang mga nasasakupang lugar. Right now, with these gains, we can already see the light at the end of the tunnel. Hindi magtatagal, Bicol will be armed conflict-free,” MGen. Robinson said.

Just last September, hundreds of CTG members and supporters yielded to the government troops in Masbate which caused ripple effect in the entire Bicol. Right now, there are already 1,092 surrenderers from the region alone this 2021.

[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/inspired-by-continuous-mass-surrenders-in-masbate-another-batch-of-ctg-members-in-mainland-bicol-abandon-the-terrorist-group/