24 NPA rebels yield, turn over firearms in NegOr

Twenty-four members of the Communist Party of the Philippines-New People’s Army (CPP-NPA) surrendered to the 94th Infantry Battalion (94IB) of the Philippine Army based in Negros Oriental’s Ayungon town, and turned over firearms and explosives.

Lt. Colonel Van Donald Almonte, 94IB commanding officer, said that among the surrenderers were two ranking medical officers of the NPA’s Central Negros 2 of the Komiteng Rehiyon Negros.

“The mass surrender on November 11 was done at the 94IB headquarters, although the majority of the former rebels are from Negros Occidental,” Almonte said.

Twenty-one are from Himamaylan, two are from Kabankalan in Negros Occidental, and another one is from Negros Oriental’s Manjuyod town.

They turned over seven short firearms, three rifle grenades and a hand grenade.

Brigadier General Inocencio Pasaporte, 303rd Infantry Brigade commander, said the mass surrender is “another blow to Central Negros 2 and will further degrade their capability due to the reduction of their manpower.”

“Further, it will have an impact on their mobility corridor as some of the surrenderees are their key contacts in the area,” he said.

Pasaporte called again on the remaining CPPNPA members to abandon the armed struggle and return to the fold of the law.

He added that the local Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict will help them avail of government programs.

Almonte said they are now processing the enrolment of the former rebels to the Enhanced Comprehensive Local Integration Program and other relevant programs.