SURRENDER. At least 19 New People’s Army rebels operating in the hinterlands of South Cotabato province surrender to police authorities following a series of negotiations. The rebels, who were presented to South Cotabato officials on Wednesday morning (Nov. 13, 2019), separately yielded last week along with 17 firearms (in photo) to the Police Regional Office-12’s intelligence unit. (PNA photo by Allen V. Estabillo)
GENERAL SANTOS CITY -- At least 19 New People’s Army (NPA) rebels operating in the hinterlands of South Cotabato province have surrendered to police authorities following a series of negotiations.
South Cotabato Gov. Reynaldo Tamayo Jr., who personally received the surrenderers on Wednesday morning, said the rebels separately yielded last week along with at least 17 firearms to the Police Regional Office-12’s intelligence unit (RIU).
Tamayo said 18 of the surrenderers, mostly indigenous peoples (IPs), hail from the municipalities of Banga, Lake Sebu, Surallah, Tupi, Tampakan and Polomolok, and one was from Senator Ninoy Aquino town in Sultan Kudarat.
“(But) they all operated in the province and we’re happy that they chose to surrender here,” Tamayo said in a briefing at the provincial Capitol in Koronadal City.
Lt. Col. Christopher Bermudez, RIU-12 chief, said the rebels surrendered in batches of three to five after sending surrender feelers to their unit through several intermediaries.
Bermudez said they all operated under the NPA’s Guerilla Front Musa or 73, which is considered as the largest rebel unit in South Cotabato.
“They decided to surrender because they were tired of being always in the run and at the same time facing uncertainty with their cause,” he said.
On top of the firearms and ammunition, Bermudez said the former rebels also gave up documents and books that were used in the recruitment and indoctrination of children in the upland communities.
The police official said five of the surrenderers served as team leaders of Front 73’s “Yunit Militia,” while the others served in various capacities such as vice team leader and lead political organizer for the NPA's front organizations.
He said some of the surrenderers were affiliated with the Mindanao Interfaith Services Foundation Inc. (Mispi) and the Center for Lumad Advocacy Networking Services (Clans), which operated schools for IPs in Barangay Ned, Lake Sebu town in South Cotabato and Barangay Hinalaan in Kalamansig, Sultan Kudarat.
In an interview with reporters, alias “Joe” claimed that he served as area coordinator for Mispi and Clans, and led the recruitment of teachers for the communist rebel movement.
He said the IP schools, which were closed two years ago by concerned local government units, had around 600 students from elementary to high school.
“We used the basic education modules set by DepEd (Department of Education) but integrated some internal lessons as well that focuses on the political and socio-economic situation and taking up arms against the government,” he said.
Tamayo said the provincial government will assist the surrenderers in availing of livelihood and other assistance from the national government, as provided under the Enhanced Comprehensive Local Integration Program (E-CLIP).
He said the surrenderers will receive reintegration assistance of PHP15,000, immediate financial assistance of PHP20,000 and additional cash assistance of P50,000 from the provincial government and the Department of the Interior and Local Government.
The governor said the surrenderers may avail of livelihood financing of at least PHP100,000 from the Land Bank of the Philippines, housing assistance worth PHP450,000, firearms remuneration of up to PHP500,000, livelihood training from the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority, and other interventions from the Department of Labor and Employment and the Department of Social Welfare and Development.
He said some of these were already received by the first batch of 13 former NPA rebels who surrendered to the RIU-12 and the local government last July.
“We’re hoping that through these interventions, more rebels will be encouraged to also surrender and rejoin the mainstream in the coming months,” he added. (PNA)
