CAMP SIONGCO, Maguindanao — Five more members of the communist New People’s Army (NPA) laid down their arms and surrendered Tuesday to the Army’s 1st Mechanized Infantry Battalion (MIB) in Barangay Kamasi, Ampatuan, Maguindanao, the military here said Thursday.
Lt. Col. Lauro Oliveros, 1st MIB commander, identified the surrenderers as Dany Daligdig, 32; Emiliano Tarusan, 47; Mike Kadingilan, 21; Marcelo Dampo, 49; and Wen Bilagen, 31; all Teduray natives from Esperanza, Sultan Kudarat.
Oliveros said the rebel returnees belonged to Platoon Samsung and My Phone of the NPA Gueriila Front 73 operating in the provinces of North Cotabato, South Cotabatoi and Maguindanao.
The surrenderers turned over one homemade Springfield rifle, one .357-caliber revolver, two homemade M79 grenade launchers, and one Ingram submachinegun.
Only last week, 28 NPA guerillas also surrendered with their firearms to the1st MIB and 33IB.
“We are glad that these NPA rebels have decided to surrender and return to the fold of law and be given the opportunity to start a new life for a better future with their families,” Major Gen. Arnel Dela Vega, Army’s 6th Infantry Division commander, said.
Dela Vega said the latest batch of surrenderers could avail of the beneifts under the government’s Comprehensive Local Integration Program.
Meanwhile, on same day, authorities captured an NPA member mulcting money from businessmen in Kidapawan City, North Cotabato.
Chief Insp. Ramil Hoijilla, Kidapawan police chief, identified the suspect as Crisanto Coyoca, 29, of Makilala, North Cotabato.
Following a complaint from businessmen, Hojilla said they set up an entrapment operation for the suspect, whom they collared after receiving money from a hardware establishment in the locality.
Hojilla said the suspect, who claimed to be a member of the NPA Guerilla Front 72, has long been pestering Kidapawan traders, coercing them to pay a monthly “revolutionary tax” for the NPA movement in exchange for protection of their businesses.
Military intelligence data indicates the high presence of NPA rebels in the mountainous Makilala town, situated at the foot of Mt. Apo, and the adjacent province of Sultan Kudarat. Appropriate charges were filed against the suspect currently detained at the Kidapawan City police lock-up cell. (Noel Punzalan/PNA)
