14 NPA fighters surrender in Caraga

From the Manila Bulletin (Mar 14, 2024): 14 NPA fighters surrender in Caraga (By MIKE CRISMUNDO)

BUTUAN CITY – Fourteen New People’s Army (NPA) rebels have surrendered to the military in the Caraga region.

They surrendered nine high-powered firearms and vowed to support the government’s peace and development program, said 4th Infantry Division Public Affairs Office (PAO) chief Lt. Col. Francisco P. Garello Jr.

Garello said five members of the regional headquarters of the Communist Party of the Philippines-NPA Northeastern Mindanao Regional Committee (NEMRC) turned themselves in on March 9. They yielded two M16 Armalite rifles, one AK47 rifle, one grenade launcher, and bullets.

The same day, four communist fighters from the Weakened Guerilla Front 30 of the NPA surrendered in Carmen, Surigao del Sur and gave up one AK47 rifle and a caliber .45 pistol.

In a statement, 901st Brigade commanding general, Brig. Gen. Arsenio Sadural, said that the continuous surrender of fighters has demonstrated the nearing collapse of the NEMRC.

Its members continue to be in disarray and no sense of direction, suffering from hunger and exhaustion as well as fear of dying during encounter, Sadural said.

“As we push harder with this fight, remaining CTG members here in our AOR do not have other option left but to surrender, and they must accept that violence and terroristic agendas will never thrive and has no place in our peace-loving communities,” the 901st Brigade commander said. “Thus, we continue to accept and remain open to those who desire to live and thread the path of peace."

https://mb.com.ph/2024/3/13/14-npa-fighters-surrender-in-caraga