Month-long talks lead to NPA couple surrender in Surigao Sur

From the Philippine News Agency (Jun 9, 2023): Month-long talks lead to NPA couple surrender in Surigao Sur (By Alexander Lopez)

REBEL COUPLE YIELDS. New People’s Army couple “Jhon-Jhon” (holding child) and “Fiona” surrender to Surigao del Sur Police Provincial Office on Thursday (June 8, 2023) after a month of negotiation. The couple belonged to the Sandatahang Yunit Pampropaganda Platoon 16C2, NPA Guerrilla Front 16, Sub-Regional Committee Northland, North Eastern Mindanao Regional Committee (Photo courtesy of PRO-13)

BUTUAN CITY – The Surigao del Sur Police Provincial Office (SDSPPO) convinced a young New People’s Army (NPA) couple to surrender after negotiations that took a month, according to the Police Regional Office in the Caraga Region (PRO-13) on Friday.

In a statement, PRO-13 director Brig. Gen. Pablo Labra II said the negotiation finally reached a breakthrough when the NPA couple agreed to return to the fold of the law.

The couple went to the SDSPPO on Thursday, underwent an interview and debriefing, and pledged their allegiance to the government.

They also handed over a 60-mm. mortar projectile and a loaded .38 revolver.

The couple, identified only through their aliases “Jhon-Jhon”, 24, and “Fiona”, 21, were members of the Sandatahang Yunit Pampropaganda Platoon 16C2, NPA Guerrilla Front 16, Sub-Regional Committee Northland, North Eastern Mindanao Regional Committee.

“Jhon-Jhon served as the vice commanding officer of 16C2 and Fiona as the medical and supply officer of the unit,” Labra said.

Furing the debriefing, the couple admitted to having difficulties in rearing their one-year-old child while inside the communist movement.

“They also realized that the armed struggle being waged by the NPA has lost its grip due to the intensified counter-insurgency campaign of the government,” Labra said.

Labra also reported the surrender of a certain “Robert,” a member of Squad 3 of the dismantled NPA Guerrilla Front 88, Platoon Banglas, Sub-Regional Sentro de Grabidad 3, North Central Mindanao Regional Committee.

Robert, 28, yielded to the Agusan del Sur Police Provincial Office, also on Thursday, and handed over a .22-caliber revolver.

https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1203219