CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY – A ranking officer of the New People’s Army (NPA) whom authorities believed to be responsible for several attacks in the province including the destruction of equipment in Bukidnon towns and the abduction of a police officer, has surrendered to the Phil. National Police-10.
In a hastily called press conference Wednesday, April 6, Brig. Gen. Benjamin Acorda Jr., PNP-10 regional director, said the former NPA leader turned himself over to the PNP-10’s regional intelligence division on April 3, 2022.
Acorda identified the surrenderer only through his alias, “Brabong,” who is from Barangay San Rafael, Talakag town, Bukidnon.
Brabong, he said, was the commanding officer of the Platoon 3, Sub-Regional Committee 5 of the NPA’s North Central Mindanao Regional Committee.
During the ceremonial surrender at the Camp 1Lt. Vicente Alagar in Barangay Lapasan, this city, April 6, the former guerrilla fighter also turned over an M72 anti-tank caliber 66mm rocket launcher and an M1919 Browning caliber 30 machine gun with 228 rounds of ammunition.
Acorda said Brabong was allegedly involved in a series of encounters between the NPA insurgents and government troops, harassments of security forces, and the burning of heavy equipment in Malaybalay City and the towns of Cabanglasan, San Fernando and Quezon, all in Bukidnon.
“Their group was involved in extortion activities inflicting businesses, farmers and construction companies within their operational sphere. Moreover, he [Brabong] is also responsible for the abduction of one of our personnel assigned in Kalilangan Municipal Police Station in Bukidnon, on February 9, 2017,” the police director added.
Despite the alleged wrongdoings Brabong has committed against the state forces and private entities, Acorda said the surrenderer will be provided with the benefits accorded to former rebels through the enhanced comprehensive local integration program or “ECLIP.”
Although Acorda did not specify the amount Brabong will receive from the government, the surrenderer will be paid for the firearms that he has turned over to the police, as well was a livelihood package to assist him in his reintegration to society.
“The government will help him start with something, for his livelihood. Definitely, there is enough amount of money for him to start all over again, and we will be there also to guide him,” he added.
Prior to providing him with the financial assistance, Brabong will be staying temporarily in a “halfway house” until he is ready to go back the mainstream of society, Acorda said.
“Our government’s whole-of-nation approach in attaining inclusive and sustainable peace has truly served its purpose. Our joint efforts with the Armed Forces of the Philippines and most especially the utmost support and cooperation of the community had greatly contributed in effectively persuading other members of the [communist terrorist group] to lay down their arms and to participate on the government’s campaign,” he said.
CAPTION:
A former leader of the New People’s Army surrenders himself and high-powered weapons to Brig. Gen. Benjamin Acorda Jr. (left), police regional director for Northern Mindanao, at the Camp 1Lt. Vicente Alagar in Barangay Lapasan, Cagayan de Oro, Wednesday afternoon, April 6. (Jigger Jerusalem)
