GENERAL SANTOS CITY — Two more New People’s Army (NPA) rebels surrendered to government troops in Lake Sebu town, South Cotabato province on Thursday, the second in the area in two days.
1Lt. Efren Halawig, civil military operations officer of the Army’s 27th Infantry Battalion (IB), said Friday the rebels decided to yield following negotiations with their troops and local officials.
Halawig identified the surrenderers as alias “Kapitan” and alias “Mowen”, both from Lake Sebu and former members of Platoon West, Guerilla Front 73 or Sub-Regional Committee-Musa of the NPA’s Far South Mindanao region.
Each of them surrendered an AK-47 rifle with ammunition, he said.
Citing accounts from alias “Kapitan”, Halawig said they decided to surrender due to the difficulties they faced while in the communist rebel movement, including the “uncertainty” of their cause.
He said the surrenderers reportedly noticed huge changes in the province’s governance these past months, especially in addressing the needs of local communities and in building a peaceful environment.
“Naa na mga proyekto para sa katawhan sumala sa farm-to-market roads, libreng edukasyon, pagtabang sa pang lawas ug uban pang mga tabang (There are many projects for the people, such as farm-to-market roads, free education, free health care, and other services),” he quoted the rebel returnees as saying.
Lt. Col. Jones Otida, 27IB commanding officer, said he expects that more NPA rebels from Lake Sebu will also yield in the coming months.
Otida said the support from Lake Sebu residents to the government’s peace initiatives have continued to gain ground since the municipal government declared the NPA last September as persona non grata.
He said the resolution unanimously passed by the municipal council shows that the people support the implementation of President’s Rodrigo Duterte’s Executive Order 70 or the “whole-of-nation approach” in ending the local communist armed conflict.
“That is why we thank the people who have complemented our efforts by adding social pressure for the NPA terrorists to finally surrender,” Otida added.
The latest surrenderers have brought to six the number of NPA rebels under the Front 73 who yielded in Lake Sebu this week.
Four former rebels under the Platoon Samsung surrendered last Tuesday and laid down three high-powered firearms to personnel of the South Cotabato Police Provincial Office and the provincial government. -PNA
