TACURONG CITY -- Tired of hiding in the mountains and fighting state forces, 18 more communist rebels belonging to the Indigenous Peoples (IP) community, voluntarily surrendered Monday to military and government officials in the nearby town of Sen. Ninoy Aquino, Sultan Kudarat.
Lt. Col. Harold Cabunoc, Army’s 33rd Infantry Battalion (IB) commander, welcomed the New Peoples’ Army (NPA) rebels who told government forces that the better life being experienced by their comrades after they yielded enticed them to follow suit.
“I laud your decision to come down and become law abiding citizens,” Cabunoc told the surrenderees in the vernacular.
1Lt. Austin John Jamora, 33rd IB Alpha Company commander, said the rebels turned in 10 assorted firearms and five powerful circular improvised bombs.
Jamora presented the surrenderees to Sen. Ninoy Aquino Mayor Randy Ecija Jr. who welcomed them to the government.
One of the surrenderees told the mayor they decided to yield for fear of being caught in the massive combat operations launched against the communist terrorists.
Jamora also said the rebels admitted that they surrendered because their comrades, who yielded last month, had been getting better treatment and that they were given livelihood assistance by the provincial government.
Cabunoc said the local government has been supporting the Army's counterinsurgency campaign against the NPA Guerilla Front 73 operating in the area by pushing the delivery of public services to indigent and IP communities.
The surrender of 18 rebels brought to 40 the total number of communist rebels operating in Sen. Ninoy Aquino. (PNA)
