6 more rebels yield
SIX members of the Underground Mass Organization (Ugmo) including a chairperson of Komiteng Tig-Organisa (KTO) surrendered to the Philippine Army citing disagreement on the operations of the New People’s Army (NPA) against the government.
In a statement, 10th Infantry Division (ID) Division Public Affairs Office (DPAO) Captain Jerry Lamosao said that the surrenderers were under the Guerilla Front (GF2), Southern Mindanao Regional Committee (SMRC) led by alias Jian, the KTO chairperson.
They surrendered at the Headquarters of the
71st Infantry Battalion at Purok 8, Barangay Nueva Visayas, Mawab, Compostela Valley Province last Saturday, January 6.
“KTO is the 2nd level of NPA’s organizing in the barangay with series of indoctrination and lectures to the members in order to prepare them for another stage until their shadow government will be realized and rule their own revolutionary administration in their guerilla bases,” Lamosao said.
Based on their interview with Jian, he said that the Ugmo was pinpointed only by members of the NPA and were given different tasks such as to expand their organized mass base, monitor presence of soldiers, and collect extortion money as revolutionary taxes.
“Nag-surrender mi kay wala man mi kasabot sa ilang mga balaod. Dili man gyud mi gusto sa ilang mga ginapabuhat sa amoa batok sa gobyerno. Wala lang mi mabuhat kay ginahadlok man mi sa mga NPA mao nang midawat mi sa posisyon nga wala mi kabalo nga mabutang diay mi sa alaot (We surrendered because we no longer understand their policy. We really do not like their actions in the first place against the government. We couldn’t just do anything because we are threatened by the NPA if we will not accept the position),” a surrenderer said.
Several Ugmo members and regular NPA fighters have laid down their arms. In fact, last December, around 700 supporters of the NPA had a dialogue with President Rodrigo Duterte at Eastern Mindanao Command (Eastmincom) where they were promised financial and livelihood assistance and housing opportunities in exchange of their surrender.
Without these mass supporters, “the armed group will lose their access to the barangays and cut access toward financial and logistical resources.”
Said Lieutenant Colonel Esteveyn E Ducusin, commanding officer of Army’s 71st Infantry (Kaibigan) Battalion, adding that with these developments, the force of the NPA has weakened and people were already cognizant of their wrong actions and black propaganda against the government.