SENATOR NINOY AQUINO, Sultan Kudarat – Nine more members of Indigenous Peoples (IPs) recruited by communist New Peoples’ Army (NPA) have surrendered to military authorities as the Army continue winning the battle against the left here, an Army official said.
Lt. Colonel Harold Cabunoc, Army’s 33rd Infantry Battalion (IB) commander, said the NPA’s Guerilla Front 73 has been weakened with its depleting human resources and firepower.
The Lumads in the mountain villages of Sen. Ninoy Aquino, according to Cabunoc, are tired of harassment and extortion activities of the communist movement.
“They now realized fighting the government is a lost cause,” Cabunoc told reporters.
1st Lt. Cesar Ballado of the 33rd IB welcomed the remnants of Guerilla Front 73 who have long desired to return to the mainstream but were hiding in the border communities of Palimbang and Sen. Ninoy Aquino towns for fear their comrades would execute them.
A week-long negotiation jointly conducted by the 33rd IB, Marine Battalion Landing Team 6 and local government of Sen. Ninoy Aquino; led to the surrender of the latest batch of NPA rebels.
On Thursday, the rebels found the opportunity to hike for five hours to reach the nearest village to the town center where they were welcomed by Ballado and other 33rd IB troopers.
Without naming the surrenderees, Ballado said they turned over two US made Garand rifles, ammunition, three hand grenades, a cal. 45 pistol, and bandolier to authorities.
As of Thursday, a total of 103 Lumad members of the Guerilla Front 73, FSMRC have laid down their arms through the initiative of the 33rd IB.
Major Gen. Arnel dela Vega, 6th Infantry Division commander, lauded the 33rd IB for reaching out to Lumads duped by communist rebels into fighting a lost cause against the government.
He vowed to intensify efforts against rebels but open its arms for those who would like to reform and avail of the government amnesty program.
Cabunoc said Sultan Kudarat Governor Pax Mangudadatu has been supportive in the campaign of the military to bring back the IPs back to the mainstream and providing them with livelihood opportunities through the Comprehensive Local Integration Program. (Edwin Fernandez/PNA)
