By Lilian Mellejor/Philippine News Agency
DAVAO CITY — Some 13 members of the New People’s Army (NPA) who were received by the different Philippine Army units last week are undergoing assessment and interview for their enrolment to the government’s Enhanced-Comprehensive Local Integration Program (E-CLIP).
Lt. Col Ezra Balagtey, Eastern Mindanao Command (Eastmincom) spokesperson, said the units in charge are now conducting interview and debriefing of the surrenderers in preparation for their enrolment to E-CLIP and other government assistance.
Balagtey said the 13 NPA members, on separate occasions, returned to the folds of the law to the different units of Eastmincom.
On Good Friday, Balagtey said, the joint efforts of 39IB and Davao del Sur Provincial Police Office facilitated the surrender of three NPA members in Barangay Colonsabak, Matanao, Davao Del Sur. They also surrendered M16, M14 and Garand rifles.
The three were identified only as alias Dante, Jek, and Garry belonged to the group monitored in the quad boundary of Davao del Sur, North and South Cotabato, and Sultan Kudarat.
They were part of the group that was encountered by the 39IB in Colonsabak.
On April 19, 18-year-old alias Rosman, a resident of Lianga, Surigao del Sur also surrendered to the 3rd Special Forces Battalion. He brought with him a cal. 5.56mm M16 Rifle.
Balagtey said six more regular NPA members, 14 Militia ng Bayan and 30 other members of the underground mass organizations from Sitio Kahayag, Barangay Banag-banag and Sitio Bantolinao, Barangay Padiay of Sibagat Municipality, Agusan Del Sur surrendered to the 3rd Special Forces Battalion on April 18.
They also brought with them one M653 rifle, one .22-caliber rifle, six 12-gauge homemade shotguns, two .38-caliber pistols, and one fragmentation grenade.
On April 17, alias Joy, 18, a resident of San Agustin, Surigao del Sur and an active medic of NPA’s Northeastern Mindanao group surrendered and brought with her one cal. 30 M1 Carbine rifle, one shotgun, and medical supplies.
Based on her interview, Balagtey said Joy decided to surrender after hearing the arrest of her boyfriend, Robert Tejero Calipay alias Satur/Arpak, who was arrested by troops of the 75th Infantry Battalion on April 14.
Balagtey said alias Joy was only 16 years old when she was recruited by the communist organization.
Another member, 22-year-old alias Jeffry and his wife alias Maymay who were members of the NPA in North Central Mindanao, surrendered on April 17 to Lt. Col. Ronald M. Illana, commander of the 8IB in Barangay Poblacion, Impasugong, Bukidnon.
Eastmincom commander, Lt. Gen Felimon T. Santos Jr., lauded the efforts of the communities and the units for the surrender of the NPA members who were only deceived to join the organization.
“Let us continue to be ambassadors of peace by letting those who were lost understand the effort of the government to bring peace and change in the lives of every Filipino and facilitate the resolution of push and pull issues of people joining the armed group,” Santos said.
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