NPAs not welcome in SurNorte

The New People’s Army (NPA), the armed wing of the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP), has been declared “persona non grata” which means NPA rebels are unwelcome, unacceptable people in Barangay Camam-onan, Gigaquit, Surigao del Norte.

Major General Felimon T. Santos Jr., commander of Eastern Mindanao Command, expressed his appreciation on the collaboration and cooperation of the people in Peace and Development Zone (PDZ) and for their effort towards winning peace in the area.

“Way to go, we can achieve peace that we are longing and cut the cycle of insurgency if we put our acts together and resolve issues and concern being used by the NPAs as propaganda subject,” Santos said.

He added that Barangay Camam-onan, Gigaquit, Surigao del Norte is one of the declared PDZ in Caraga Region and has declared NPAs as personae non grata after 28 Militia ng Bayan (MB) surrendered to the 30th Infantry Battalion, 4 Infantry Division (ID) under Lieutenant Colonel Allen Raymund C. Tomas on February 15 bringing along seven assorted firearms.

This barangay was also considered as Conflict Affected Areas (ConAAs) in the province of Surigao del Norte but was declared PDZ on August 28, 2018.

The formal declaration was led by Inday Flor B. Bangga, barangay chairwoman of Camamonan, while the surrender ceremony was presided by Gigaquit Mayor Elvira Egay.