More NPA regulars surrender in Comval, Davao Norte

DAVAO CITY – More members of the communist New People’s Army (NPA) turned themselves to army troops in Compostela Valley and Davao del Norte provinces amid the government's intensified campaign against the group's recruitment activities.

Capt. Jerry Lamosao, of the Army's 10th Infantry Division, on Friday said the combat operation launched by the 66th Infantry Battalion since Tuesday forced two members of the New People’s Army (NPA) Pulang Bagani Command (PNC) 8 to surrender in Barangay Andap, New Bataan, Compostela Valley Province.

Lamosao, identified the surrenderers only as alias Romy, a political guide, and alias Dandan.

Lamosao said government troops launched the strike following information from a civilian on the presence of armed men in the remote portion of Barangay Andap.

According to Lamosao, it has been a long time since the NPA were seen in the mining area of Andap.

Their presence this week, Lamosao said, followed the dismantling of the NPA’s Guerilla Front 25. He surmised the rebels were  trying to recover lost grounds by forcibly recruiting people in the area.

On the other hand, the Army's 60th Infantry Battalion received 41 NPA rebels operating in the boundaries of Loreto, Agusan del Sur and Kapalong, Davao del Norte, early this week.

The 60IB based in Kapalong reported that of the 41, 10 were regular NPA members of Guerilla Front 34, and one member of Pulang Bagani Command 4.

The rest of the 41 surrenderers were members of the Milisyang Bayan and underground mass organization under Guerilla Front 34 led by Maximo Catarata alias Datu Makatindog.

The surrenders also handed over a Garand rifle, caliber .22 homemade rifle, a .45 caliber handgun and an improvised explosive device.

Lamosao said the 10ID already recorded 23 NPA armed regulars and 71 underground mass supporters of the NPA who surrendered since the previous week. (Lilian C Mellejor/PNA)