14 Aklanons withdraw support for CPP-NPA

From the Philippine News Agency (Jul 8, 2021): 14 Aklanons withdraw support for CPP-NPA (By Perla Lena)

PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE. Former supporters of the Communist Party of the Philippines-New People’s Army (CPP-NPA), swear allegiance to the government in a ceremony at the Janlud High School, Barangay Janlud on Thursday (July 8, 2021). They will be profiled and recommended to avail of the Enhanced-Comprehensive Local Integration Program benefits. (Photo by PRO 6 public information office)

Some 14 residents of Libacao town in Aklan, who used to be supporters and sympathizers of the Communist Party of the Philippines-New People’s Army (CPP-NPA), pledged their allegiance to the government, in a ceremony at the Janlud High School, Barangay Janlud on Thursday.

“These CPP-NPA supporters/sympathizers sought the help of the local government officials in their surrender to the authorities and immediately they were brought to the attention of the Libacao Municipal Police Station,” Col. Joem Malong, spokesperson of the Police Regional Office 6 (PRO6), said in an interview.

Malong said most of them used to entertain the request of active CPP-NPA members for a sleepover at their houses, giving food and allowing the use of their kitchen, and giving in to their extortion activities.

“They underwent debriefing and they executed their judicial affidavit to confirm the veracity of their statements,” she added.

The group, who was among the 32 surrenderers in Aklan since June 2021, will undergo profiling and will be recommended to avail of benefits under the Enhanced-Comprehensive Local Integration Program (E-CLIP) of the government, Malong said.

Meanwhile, Associate Provincial Prosecutor Flosemer Chris I. Gonzales, spokesperson for the Western Visayas Regional Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (RTF 6-ELCAC), said he hopes that they will serve as inspiration to put a stop to supporting the rebel group and return to the fold of the government.

“Sa makaron nga adlaw, aton ginkalipay ag ginapanginbulahan du anda nga pormal nga pagbalik sa sabak it gobierno, du anda nga pagsikway sa CPP-NPA, ag du anda nga pagta-o ku anda boluntaryo nga supporta sa gobierno. (Today we are happy and we congratulate them for formally returning to the fold of the government, for rejecting the CPP-NPA, and for giving their voluntary support to the government),” he said.

The group was presented to the local government of Libacao through Mayor Charito I. Navarrosa.

The ceremony was facilitated by the Aklan Police Provincial Office (APPO) under Col. Ramir Perlito Perlas, together with the members of the Philippine Army’s 12th Infantry Battalion (12IB) led by its commanding officer Lt. Col. Joseph Jason Estrada.

Meanwhile, Malong said the withdrawal of support to the CPP-NPA by their sympathizers will gravely affect the overall operations of the terror group in the area.

“The surrender and rejection of their supporters is a sign that their members are no longer believing in the ideology of the CPP-NPA and is a manifestation of their support to the government’s effort in ending local communist armed conflict,” she added.

The CPP-NPA is listed as a terrorist organization by the United States, the European Union, the United Kingdom, Australia, Canada, New Zealand, and the Philippines.

https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1146465