WARM WELCOME. Surigao del Sur Gov. Alexander Pimentel (center) and Police Provincial Director, Col. James Goforth (left) announce in a press conference in Tandag City Thursday afternoon (January 16) the surrender of eight members of New People’s Army. Both officials welcome the rebel returnees, while calling on the remaining rebels to return to the fold of the law. (Photo courtesy of PNP Surigao del Sur Information Office)
BUTUAN CITY – After months of negotiations, eight members of the New People’s Army (NPA) operating in the province of Surigao del Sur surrendered to the Philippine National Police (PNP) on Wednesday, an official said.
Col. James Goforth, the PNP-Surigao del Sur provincial director, told the Philippine News Agency (PNA) on Thursday that some of the NPA rebels who surrendered had also operated in parts of the Davao Region in recent months.
“They were convinced to surrender after determining the sincerity of the government in helping former rebels renew their lives and go back to their communities to join their families,” Goforth said.
Goforth is referring to the Enhanced Comprehensive Local Integration Program (ECLIP) of the government.
He also attributed the surrender to the "effectiveness" of the whole-of-nation approach of the Duterte administration to end local communist conflicts.
The Provincial Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (PTF-ELCAC) in Surigao del Sur is headed by Governor Alexander T. Pimentel.
Goforth identified the NPA surrenderers as Alias “Urban”, 67, of Barangay Purisima, Tago, Surigao del Sur and the squad leader of the Sub-Regional Guerilla Unit (SRGU), Southern Mindanao Regional Committee (SMRC) based in Cahalinan, Davao City; Alias “Diokno”, 48, of Tago, Surigao del Sur, and the Financial Logistics Officer (FLO) of the Main Regional Guerrilla Unit (MRGU), Guerrilla Front Committee 19 (GFC-19), North Eastern Mindanao Regional Committee;
Alias “Ryan”, 60, of Barangay Victoria, Tago, Surigao del Sur, and the vice commanding officer of the Espada Unit, GFC 16, NEMRC; Alias “Bryan”, 48, of Tago, Surigao del Sur, and a member of GFC 19, NEMRC; Alias “Gamay”, 30, of San Agustin, Surigao del Sur, and a member of GFC 19, NEMRC;
Alias “Rustom”, 22, of Tago, Surigao del Sur, and member of Platoon 1, GFC 19, NEMRC; Alias Ashley, 22, a resident of Tago, Surigao del Sur, and a medic of Platoon 1, GFC 19, NEMRC; and Alias “Jonifer”, 25, of San Agustin, Surigao del Sur, and a member of Platoon 8, GFC 19, NEMRC.
Goforth said the surrenders turned over a caliber .45 pistol and two caliber .38 revolvers.
In a statement on Thursday, the Police Regional Office in Caraga Region (PRO-13) commended the PNP and PTF-ELCAC in Surigao del Sur for the surrender of the eight NPA members.
PRO-13 director, Brig. Gen. Joselito Esquivel Jr. also appealed to the remaining NPA members in the province “to return to the folds of the law and become beneficiaries of the ECLIP because our government is extending its hands to former rebels with the optimal objective of lasting peace in the country.” (PNA)
