3 more give up as Army notes continuous surrender of NPAs

CAMP BANCASI. Butuan City — Three more New People’s Army (NPA) terrorists (CNTs) gave up to Army troops in Bukidnon province over the weekend, according to the chief of Civil Military Operation (CMO) office of the Army’s 403rd Infantry (Peacemaker) Brigade Capt. Norman M. Tagros.

In a statement released yesterday, the 403rd Brigade CMO officer said three armed NPAs, belonging to Sangay ng Partido sa Lokalidad and Militia ng Bayan of the CPP-NPA Guerilla Front 68 of the North Central Mindanao Regional Committee, surrendered and brought with them a caliber-30 M2 Carbine rifle, an M1 Garand rifle, M79 Grenade launcher and assorted live ammunition.

“They gave up to the troops of the First Special Forces Battallion (1st SFBn) on Saturday and Sunday and pledged to support the government’s peace and development program,” Tagros said.

The three NPA fighters were officially presented yesterday to Brig. Gen. Eric C. Vinoya, commanding general of the 403rd “Peacemaker” Brigade at the headquarters of the 403rd Brigade in Camp Osito Bahian, Malaybalay City, Bukidnon province.

The new surrenderers were only identified as “Milit,” “Bugoy” and “Jordan” and are now undergoing investigation and debriefing, in preparation of their enrollment of the government’s Enhanced Comprehensive Local Integration Program (ECLIP).

“A total of nine Communist terrorists surrendered to troops last week and these rebel returnees all experienced the same false promises and deception of the CPP-NPA Terrorists leaders such as financial and food support for their families that were never fulfilled,” Tagros said.

Meanwhile, Vinoya continued his encouragement to the remaining CNTs who are still in the mountains to come down and lay down their arms to avail the government’s ECLIP program.