Posted to the Kalinaw News (Jun 28, 2021): NPA surrenders, Army recovers high caliber firearms in Eastern Samar
BORONGAN, EASTERN SAMAR – An NPA cadre in Eastern Samar surrendered to 78th Infantry Battalion and exposed the Communist Terrorist Group’s arms cache containing high-powered firearms and improvised explosive device (landmines).
The surrenderor NPA member was identified as Ka Roel served as the Political Instructor and Assistant Squad Leader of Squad 2 of NPA Guerilla Unit operating in the southern municipalities of Eastern Samar. He was voluntarily surrendered with one (1) 5.56mm M16A1 Rifle, magazines, and numerous ammunitions to Lt. Col. Oliver C. Alvior, Commander 78IB located at Brgy. Lalawigan, Borongan City, on June 15, 2021.
The recovered arms cache were composed of five (5) M16 rifles, two (2) M14 rifles, and six (6) IED main charge components.
Ka Roel was immediately given proper medical and dental assistance through the Enhanced Comprehensive Local Integration
Program (ECLIP) of the government. Citing starvation and fatigue due to constant
movement across the hinterlands of Eastern Samar was the primary reason for his surrender. Ka Roel was successfully convinced to lay down his arm after series of negotiations mediated by Llorente-Gen MacArthur Peace Builder Group (PBG). The members of the group were also former NPA and Supporters of CTG.
Furthermore, due to the good treatment of the soldiers toward him, which is in stark contrast to the lies and fears instilled by his NPA comrades, Ka Roel decided to reveal critical information on the status of the said NPA guerilla front. In a statement, he affirmed that the terrorist group had lost most of its manpower as a result of the relentless combat and security operations by Army’s 78IB and Eastern Samar Provincial Police Office (ESPPO) as the main operating units under the Peace and Law Enforcement Development Support (PLEDS) Cluster here in Eastern Samar.
The constant military operations also disrupted their capability to recruit new members forcing the rebel group to leave excess firearms in their caches through their former contacts in numerous barangays. Moreover, the government assured Ka Roel of his safety and security.
In a statement, Lt. Col. Alvior praised the bravery of the former rebel in deciding to surrender his firearm and to pinpoint NPA arms caches. He assured that the government would provide necessary interventions for Ka Roel and his family as the latter decided to be law-abiding citizens of the Republic of the Philippines.
“The surrender of Ka Roel and the recovery of NPA arms cache is a manifestation of the effectiveness of the whole-of-nation approach wherein the collective effort of the TF-ELCACs particularly by the PLEDS and LPE Clusters represented by the Peace Builder Groups, have provided a conducive environment for the remaining active NPAs to surrender.
According to Lt. Col. Alvior, the increasing number of NPA surrenderees and the recovery of firearms, ammunition, and explosives devices signify that the NPA in Eastern Samar is deteriorating because numerous top leaders have abandoned the armed struggle.
[Kalinaw News is the official online source of information on the pursuit for peace in the Philippines This website is a property of the Civil-Military Operations Regiment, Philippine Army located at Lawton Avenue, Fort Bonifacio, Taguig City. Contact us: kalinawnews@cmoregiment.com]
https://www.kalinawnews.com/npa-cadre-surrenders-army-recovers-high-powered-firearms-in-eastern-samar/
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