3 more NPA members yield in Sarangani

From the Sun Star-Davao (Feb 16): 3 more NPA members yield in Sarangani

THREE more guerilla fighters of the New People's Army (NPA) laid down their arms on Thursday afternoon at Barangay Pag-asa, Alabel, Sarangani Province.

Captain Jerry Lamosao, 10th Infantry Division (ID) Division Public Affairs Office (DPAO) chief said these former NPA combatants felt "hopeless" prompting them to decide to surrender.

Lamosao further identified the surrenderers as Arnold SawalBudiong alias Mateo, 24, resident of Purok 8A Barangay, Poblacion, Alabel, Sarangani Province; Runjie Lagon alias Levi, 39, resident of Ulutangga Island, Zamboanga Sibugay; and Eddie Maranga Ani alias Junie, 25, resident of sitio Kidalagan, Barangay DatuDanwata, Malita, Davao Occidental.

They brought with them their two M16 rifles and one AK47 rifle when they surrendered to the security forces.

These rebel returnees belong to Guerrilla Front 71, Far South Mindanao Regional (FSMR).

They surrendered to the troops of 73rd Infantry Battalion (IB) in Barangay Pag-asa, Alabel, Sarangani Province on February 15, 2018.

 

"Gikapoy na mi sa mga pasalig sa NPA nga wala natuman, ingon sila nga naa mi madawat nga suportang pinansyal para sa amoang pamilya pero sukad sa karon wala kami makadawat (We are tired of the false promises made by the NPAs, they promised to give financial support to our family, but until now we haven't received any)," Lagon said.

 

Hardships in the hinterland were also their reason for leaving the group. They also felt the pressure of continuous combat operations of the soldiers against the NPA wherein they opted to keep on hiding.

 

Their surrender was facilitated by the Barangay official of Barangay Pag-asa, Alabel, Sarangani Province.

 

"With our intensive security operations and continuous collaborations to our Barangay Officials, we can gear our efforts towards the attainment of peace in our communities," Lieutrnant Colonel Marion Ancao, 73IB commander, said.

 

He said that the former rebels will be presented to the local government unit of Sarangani for immediate assistance and enrollment to the Comprehensive Local Integration Program (CLIP).

 

They will be provided with a livelihood assistance and remuneration for their surrendered firearms to help them to start a new and peaceful life.

 

The army continues to call on other rebels who are still in the movement to come down and seek for a reformed life and avail the government services intended for them.

 

For his part, Major General Noel Clement, 10ID Commander, said more NPA surrenderers are expected to yield in different military units with their relentless effort to entice the lawless armed groups.

 

"Our forces will conduct continuous intensified Focused Military Operation (FMO), Community Support Program (CSP), information gathering and collaboration with the stakeholders in its Area of Operation to thwart the atrocities planned by the NPA terrorist. We expect more surrenderers as LGUs are in active cooperation in encouraging their constituents who belonged to CPP-NPA terrorist group to go back to the folds of the law. NPAs who remained loyal to their terroristic ideology will be dealt with accordingly," Clement said.

 http://www.sunstar.com.ph/davao/local-news/2018/02/16/3-more-npa-members-yield-sarangani-589341