Pregnant NPA member, 2 others yield to Army in Agusan Norte

From the Philippine News Agency (May 24, 2023): Pregnant NPA member, 2 others yield to Army in Agusan Norte (By Alexander Lopez)

BUTUAN CITY – A ranking communist New People’s Army (NPA) rebel and two others have surrendered to military authorities in Agusan del Norte, the Army’s 402nd Infantry Brigade (402nd IBde) said Wednesday.

The 402nd IBde identified the surrenderers as Nelson Odayao, the team leader of Sagay Sub-Regional Committee 3 (SRC-3) of the NPA's North Central Mindanao Regional Committee; Ruel Montillano and Lea Carilla, both members of Platoon 1 of SRC-3.

The three turned themselves in to the Army’s 23rd Infantry Battalion (23IB) in Buenavista town, Agusan del Norte, on Tuesday. They handed over two M16 rifles, a shotgun and ammunition.

Odayao was quoted by the 402nd IBde as saying that they could no longer survive inside the NPA due to food scarcity and fatigue.

“Our leaders told us nothing will happen if we surrender and that we will only be killed by government troops. On the contrary, we were treated well by the soldiers of the 23IB,” Odayao said.

He added that their companion, Carilla, was given by the soldiers a comfortable place to rest after finding out that she is pregnant.

Brig. Gen. Adonis Ariel Orio, the 402nd IBde commander, said the three surrenderers are now under the custody and care of the 23IB and that they will undergo processing to avail of the benefits under the government’s Enhanced Comprehensive Local Integration Program.

“We welcome their surrender and we also call on the remaining terrorists in the area to accept the offer of the government and return to your families to live in peace,” he said.

https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1202109