GENERAL SANTOS CITY – A member of a New People’s Army (NPA) unit operating in Tampakan town in South Cotabato surrendered Thursday to Army and police personnel following a series of negotiations.
Lt. Col. Jones Otida, commanding officer of the Army’s 27th Infantry Battalion, said Friday that Jonathan Pilay Dawang alias Caloy, 32, gave himself up voluntarily along with his firearm after being convinced to do so by his family and officials of Barangay Tablu in Tampakan.
Otida said the surrender was facilitated by the municipal government of Tampakan and the South Cotabato Police Provincial Office.
Dawang yielded a Carbine rifle and two improvised explosive devices, two blasting caps and electric wire, he said.
Otida said the returnee was a member of the “Yunit Milisya” of the NPA’s Guerilla Front 72, which operates at the boundaries of South Cotabato, Sultan Kudarat, Davao del Sur and Sarangani provinces.
“He decided to surrender so he can live normally and peacefully with his family,” he said, adding that Dawang confided to them that he was tired of being constantly pursued by government troops in the boondocks.
Residents of Sitio Tukay-mal in Tablu, where Dawang hails, have been also resisting the entry of NPA rebels in their village, he said.
Otida said the former rebel is currently undergoing custodial debriefing at the 27IB base in Tupi, South Cotabato.
He said they will enlist Dawang into the government’s Enhanced Comprehensive Local Integration Program (E-CLIP) after the required verification and validation process.
Once enrolled, he said the returnee will receive more than PHP86,000 in financial assistance through the government’s flagship reintegration program.
“He will get an additional cash incentive for the surrendered firearm, as well as housing benefits for his family,” Otida added. (PNA)
