Saturday, June 5, 2021

Former rebels confident in ELCAC program

From the Philippine Information Agency (Jun 4, 2021): Former rebels confident in ELCAC program (By Lilibeth A. French)

ILOILO CITY, June 4 (PIA) - - Three former rebels recently decided to surrender to the folds of the law and lay down their arms in Iloilo province, according to Police Regional Office 6, showing their confidence in the government’s program in ending local communist armed conflict.

Police Regional Office (PRO) 6 director Police Brigadier General Rolando Miranda said the continuous voluntary surrender of CPP-NPA members in the whole region manifests their belief on the stand of the government to end local communist armed conflict.

“Ito ang patunay na marami na ang naniniwala sa programa ng gobyerno na tapusin ang karahasan ng CPP-NPA,” said Miranda in a PRO 6 press report.

Using their aliases, “June”, “Kim” and "Ka Alvin," the three voluntarily surrendered on different dates and areas in the province.

Twenty-five-year old alias “June,” a former member of Igabon Platoon, Central Front Committee, surrendered around 5 o’clock in the afternoon on June 1, 2021 to Bingawan Municipal Police Station due to deception and disappointment.


(L-R) The 25-year former rebel alias "June" surrenders to Bingawan Municipal Police Station on June 1. On the other hand, the 21-year old alias "Kim" surrendered to the Leon Municipal Police Station, June 2. (PRO6-RPIO photo/Leon MPS)

“There is no truth to their promise that they will fully support my family in times of need,” said June who was with the CPP-NPA since November 11, 2012 and left on March 10, 2018.

From 2019 to the present, he hid from the CPP-NPA terrorist group after he decided to leave due to disappointment because his request for a medical support for his ill mother was denied by the group.

He surrendered to the local government of Bingawan where he was assured of the medical treatment of his mother.

June said he was in 5 encounters against the government forces in Barangays Abangay, Acuña, Aglinab, Natip, and Lahug, all in Tapaz, Capiz from 2013 to 2015.

PRO 6 reported that at around 12 noon on June 2, alias “Kim,” another self-confessed member of communist terrorist group CPP-NPA, surrendered to Leon Municipal Police Station.

Twenty-one-year old Kim is a member of team 15 led by a certain Ka Romel, under Nonito Aguirre Command of Central Front Committee that operates at the mountainous area of President Roxas and Maayon, all in the Province of Capiz.

He joined the underground movement on March 16, 2018 due to the influence of his cousins who are all active CPP-NPA members.

Unfortunately, after nine months, he couldn’t bear the extreme fatigue and hunger and tried to escape many times but failed until the night of December 31, 2018 when he was lucky to escape.

He hid for more than two years until he made a decision to come out and surrender to authorities in order to clear himself, his name and to have a peaceful life with his family.



Ka Alvin surrenders his firearm to PLtCol Gervacio Balmaceda, Acting Regional Chief, CIDG Regional Filed Unit 6 at PRO6 Maringal Lounge, Camp Gen Martin Teofilo B Delgado, Iloilo, City, June 1, 2021. (Photo courtesy of PSSg de Pedro/RPIO6)

Earlier this year, specifically on May 28 , a 47-year old CPPA-NPA member "Ka Alvin" voluntarily surrendered to the Criminal Investigation and Detection Unit 6 in one of the towns in the first district of Iloilo.

He surrendered because he was thinking of his wife and four children and wanted to live in peace with them, without the fear of being chased by the government troops.

Ka Alvin, who had not finished school, joined the CPP-NPA in 1986 at the age of 12. He was able to pass the advance learning alternative and qualified as High School when he was arrested and stayed at BJMP in Pototan, Iloilo for the crime of murder and violation of Republic Act 9516 (Laws on Illegal/Unlawful Possession, Manufacture, Dealing in, Acquisition or Disposition, of Firearms, Ammunition or Explosives) in 2009 and was released in 2016 when the cases filed against him were dismissed.

PRO 6 said Ka Alvin, in an interview, revealed his involvement in several CPP-NPA-initiated atrocities which some resulted to the deaths of some members of government troops.

At the age of 15, he was sent to Malaysia for a “Demolition Course” and later went back to the country and stayed in Iloilo City as the Team Leader of the Regional Command Armed Liquidation Squad Special Operations Group.

Ka Alvin surrendered his firearm, a baby M16 armalite with magazines and ammunition.

Just like with June and Kim, Ka Alvin will be recommended by PRO 6 to be included in the Enhanced-Comprehensive Local Integration Program to avail of assistance that will help them start peaceful lives over.

In interviews with former rebels who surrendered to PRO 6, they said most of their comrades want to surrender due to difficulties they encountered in the CPP-NPA and their realization of the deception made to recruit them in the armed movement. (RPIO6/JSC/laf/PIA6 Iloilo/Photo courtesy of RPIO6)

https://pia.gov.ph/news/articles/1077066

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