ANNIVERSARY SURRENDER. Three members of the Communist Party of the Philippines-New People's Army (CPP-NPA) return to the government fold as the rebel group celebrates its 51st anniversary on Thursday (Dec. 26, 2019). The three yielded one .45-caliber pistol and a .38-caliber revolver. (Photo courtesy of 61st Infantry Battalion)
ILOILO CITY -- As the Communist Party of the Philippines-New People’s Army (CPP-NPA) celebrates its 51st anniversary celebration on Thursday, three of its members have decided to abandon the rebel group.
Alias “Michael”, 25; “Lanie”, 21; and “Maribel”, 19, all from Tubungan, Iloilo; have surrendered to the local government unit of Tubungan town and the 61st Infantry Battalion (61IB) of the Philippine Army.
The three surrendered with them one .45-caliber pistol and a .38-caliber revolver.
Tubungan Mayor Roquito Tacsagon negotiated the surrender of the rebel members. He presented the former rebels at the 61st IB headquarters at Camp Monteclaro in Miagao town, Iloilo.
In a statement, Tacsagon said the surrender of the three was the best gift they gave themselves and their families this Yuletide season.
Tacsagon has earlier appealed to the rebels not to make Tubungan as their “playing ground”.
On Monday, the rebels ambushed the 1st Provincial Mobile Force Company (1st PMFC) using an anti-personnel mine.
The police were on their way back to headquarters after the declaration of the bilateral ceasefire between the government and the CPP-NPA when they were attacked. Two police officers were injured during the ambush.
Tubungan town is set to convene the Municipal Peace and Order Council (MPOC) on Friday to declare the CPP-NPA persona non grata.
Lt. Col. Joel Benedict Batara, 61st IB commander, acclaimed the initiative of Tubungan town in its anti-insurgency efforts.
He continued to encourage the rebels to return to the folds of the law and avail of government services.
"This (surrender) is the best decision in their life after having been deceived by the communist-terrorist group of joining a useless armed struggle", Batara said in a statement.
https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1089527
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