CAMP GEN. MATEO CAPINPIN, Tanay, Rizal- Ten members of the New People’s Army (NPA) Communist terrorist group have surrendered to the troops of the 730th Combat Group (730th CG), Philippine Air Force in Nasugbu, Batangas.
Major Engelberto A. Nioda Jr, Group Commander of 730th CG, on Saturday said that eight of the 10 terrorist rebels who surrendered were members of Platoon Jupiter, while the two others were from Platoon Galaxy, both of Sub- Regional Military Area (SRMA) 4C, Southern Tagalog Regional Party Committee (STRPC) operating in Batangas and Cavite.
The identities of the 10 NPAs members who are now in the military custody are withheld for security reasons, Nioda added.
In subsequent interviews upon their surrenders, the 10 NPA comrades said they decided to surrender to the authorities because of experiencing hardships and starvation while struggling to move in hiding places as they evaded government troops.
They also expressed frustrations and hopelessness over unfulfilled promises by their NPA comrades as the promises of having a good life where they can support their families failed and turned out to be all lies.
Brigadier General Arnulfo Marcelo B. Burgos Jr., Commander of the 202nd Infantry (UNIFIER) Brigade which exercises operational jurisdiction over the Calabarzon Region, said that the rebels surrender back to the folds of government “sends an underlying message that the insurgency in Batangas is now on the verge of collapse.”
“This is the result of the close coordination and collaboration between and among the security sector, government agencies, business entities, local government units (LGUs) and the general public,” Burgos said
Meanwhile, Major General Rhoderick M. Parayno, Commander of the 2nd Infantry “Jungle Fighter” Division (2ID) lauded efforts of the government troops against the communist-terrorists in the area.
He said the 2nd Infantry Division is pushing for the conduct of a localized peace talks with the NPA communist-terrorist group.
“We are winning the campaign against the NPAs in our area. The enemies are losing and on the run now. It’s not too late for them to surrender. A local peace talk is more realistic and has a very good chance of success since issues are addressed and resolved immediately,” Parayno said.
Also, Captain Patrick Jay M. Retumban, chief of the 2ID Public Affairs Office, said that the 10 who have surrendered so far will formalize their return to the fold of law when they take their “Oath of Allegiance” and turn over their firearms in a ceremony scheduled on Tuesday (Aug. 14) in Tanauan City, Batangas.
Retumban disclosed that the oath-taking ceremony and turn-over of firearms will be presided over and witnessed by the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) and Department of National Defense (DND) Secretaries, Presidential Adviser for Southern Tagalog, Governor of Batangas and other top military commanders.
He added that during the turnover ceremony, the concerned departments and agencies will also launch the maiden implementation of the national government’s Enhanced Comprehensive Local Integration Program (E-CLIP) in Southern Luzon.
He said that E-CLIP is a holistic inter-agency approach of the government to end insurgency peacefully by encouraging rebels to join mainstream society through various grants and compensations which they can use to start-over and become responsible members of the society. (Saul Pa-a/PNA)
