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NPA cadre, 2 others surrender, turn in firearms in Bukidnon

By Rhoda Grace Saron

May 10, 2019, 8:08 pm

 

DAVAO CITY -- A high-ranking political cadre of the New People’s Army (NPA) and two other rebels surrendered and turned in their high-caliber firearms to troops of the 1003rd Infantry brigade in a remote area in Bukidnon on Wednesday.

Colonel Nolasco Mempin, commander of the Philippine Army's 1003rd Brigade based in Davao City, identified on Friday the latest surrenderers as Benido Lambonay alias “Junjun”, 29, Eyan Man-ukil Mandanoay alias “Garry”, 20, and Ely Manlangoy alias “Kinkin”, 24, all from Barangay Digongan, Kitaotao, Bukidnon.

Lambonay was the head of the NPA’s political wing Komiteng Rebolusyonaryo sa Baryo while Mandanoay was a guerrilla squad leader and Manlangoy, a member of the Milisyang Bayan.

Mempin said the three surrendered to the troops of 89th Infantry Battalion who were conducting Community Support Program in the area.

“All of them belonged to Guerilla Front 55, Sub-regional Committee 5, Southern Mindanao Regional Committee, the terrorist arm of the Communist Party of the Philippines under Joma Sison conducting extortion, killings, sabotage of government equipment recruitment of minors and many more atrocities in the Bukidnon province,” Mempin said.

The trio also tipped off the soldiers in the area where firearms were hidden resulting in the recovery of two Garand Rifles, two Carbine Rifles, and an M14 Rifle along with subversive documents.

The 1003rd Brigade is also the same army troop that recovered 22 firearms in Paquibato District, this city.

The three will be added to the list of surrenderers being processed for enrollment to the Enhanced Comprehensive Local Integration Program (E-CLIP), one of the flagship programs of President Duterte’s administration with the aim to address social healing and achieve national unity.

Mempin welcomed this new development and expressed his optimism that others will follow suit.

“The Philippine Army along with the communities and the whole government is painstakingly trying to build, this is why we thank the people who have complemented our efforts by adding social pressure for the rebels to finally surrender,” Mempin said. (PNA)

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