512 NPAs surrender since talks hit a snag

More than 500 communist rebels have surrendered to the government since the peace talks between the government and the New People’s Army (NPA) was terminated in February this year, the military said yesterday.

Marine Col. Edgard Arevalo, chief military information officer, said that for this month alone, a total of 18 communist rebels have decided to surrender, including a 16-year -old boy in T’boli town of South Cotabato.

“The continuous surrender of NPA members is indicative of the organization’s dwindling strength,” said Arevalo.

He pointed out that the 512 who surrendered since last February 4 have also turned over the firearms issued to them when they joined the NPA’s armed struggle. As a result, a total of 578 high-powered and low-powered firearms from the NPAs have been seized.

“This is also a clear manifestation of our successful intensified combat, intelligence, and civil-military operations, particularly in North-eastern Mindanao which is the NPA’s area of concentration,” said Arevalo.

The official also disclosed that since February this year, the military has killed 121 other communist rebels and 94 were arrested in various parts of the country.