COTABATO CITY – Tired of running away from government forces in the hinterlands of North Cotabato, a couple belonging to Guerilla Front 72 of the New People’s Army (NPA) turned themselves in to the military on Thursday.
Lt. Col. Elrich Paraso, commander of the Army’s 19th Infantry Battalion (IB), said the couple, whose identities are being withheld for security reasons, surrendered to authorities after hearing about the government’s amnesty program.
Paraso said Ka George and his wife, Ka Joan, sought the help of village officials in Magpet, North Cotabato, on Thursday to link them up with the 19th IB. He said the couple urged other communist rebels still hiding in the mountains of Magpet to “come down and rejoin the mainstream society.”
Paraso said many of the NPA members like Ka George and Ka Joan were “duped that fighting the government will make their lives easier and productive.”
2Lt. Angelique Taban, 19th IB civil-military operations chief, said the couple has been with the communist guerrilla movement for the past 20 years.
During routine questioning, Taban said the couple told Army officers they can no longer endure the chills, lack of food, and frequent movement in the forest while hiding from pursuing government forces.
Rolando Pelonio, chairperson of Barangay Tico who helped facilitate the couple’s surrender, said they “are getting weak and no longer possess characteristics of guerrilla fighters.”
Paraso said the couple will be enrolled in the government’s Enhanced Comprehensive Local Integration Program.
At least 25 former communist fighters have surrendered to the Army’s 19th IB and are now undergoing integration process with the help of the local government of Magpet, Kidapawan City and the provincial government of North Cotabato. (Edwin Fernandez/PNA)
