Kalinaw News: Domino Effect of IPDWA efforts continues

Posted to Kalinaw News (Oct 15, 2021): Domino Effect of IPDWA efforts continues



CAMP DOWNES, Ormoc City – Another 15 lie-low members of the CPP-NPA-NDF in this city voluntarily surfaced and formally surrendered today to the 93rd Infantry (Bantay Kapayapaan) Battalion, 8th Infantry (Stormtrooper) Division, Philippine Army, bringing to 32 the total number of local communist terrorists who returned to the folds of the law from the villages of this city in less than two months.

These lie-low cpp-npa-ndf local members include four former full time npa fighters; five members of the Underground Mass Organization (UGMO); three members of Yunit Milisya (YM); a former chairman of the Batakang Organisasyon sa Partido (BOP) in Barangay Quezon Jr.; a former para-legal officer; and, a former officer of a District Committee of the dismantled North Leyte Front.

Of the 15, eight are currently residing in barangay Lake Danao and seven are from barangay Quezon Jr. They are scheduled to take their oath of allegiance to the Republic of the Philippines, together with 17 other former communist terrorist group (CTG) members who have already surrendered last month, during the Serbisyo Caravan that will be launched by the Regional Task Force (RTF) 8 – ELCAC, Leyte Provincial TF – ELCAC and Ormoc City TF-ELCAC on Saturday.

During interviews, the former cpp-npa members bared that sometime in 2016, they started slowing down their participation in CTG activities because of frustration over unfulfilled promises and rampant corruption among their cadres.

“Di na mi gusto masumpayan pa sa kalihokan maong mihukom kami nga mogawas ug mobalik na sa sabakan sa gobyerno. Pait kaayo ang kinabuhi sa armadong kalihokan pero maayo ang kinabuhi sa mga lider nga tua sa ubos kay hayahay apan kami kanhi sa bukid halos di makakaon ug way katulog,” said one of the former CTG members.
(We do not want to be reconnected with the movement anymore, that’s why we decided to surface and to return to the folds of the law. Life in the armed struggle is very hard, but our leaders enjoy a good life in the lowlands while we in the mountains could hardly sleep and eat).

Members of the Ormoc Integrated Peace and Development Workers Association (OIPDWA) took the initiative to help the government to convince their former comrades to come out and formally surrender in order to begin a new life free of guilt from their previous misgivings against our fellow Filipinos.

“We will continue to extend our sincere efforts to help those remaining members and supporters of the CTG in the island of Leyte who wish to return to the mainstream of our society and be a part of the whole of nation approach in ending the local communist armed conflict,” said Lt. Col. Arnold Lozada, commanding officer of 93IB.

“We are expecting more lie-low and active CTG members in the Brigade’s area of operation to voluntarily turn themselves in the coming weeks since those who yielded today have openly expressed their commitment to help convince their former comrades to return to the folds of the law as well. This expectation is bolstered by the fact that for the third quarter of this year, 33 former CTG members have likewise yielded to 14IB in the 5th district of Leyte,” stressed Brig. Gen. Zosimo A. Oliveros, commander of the 802nd Brigade.

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