PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE. Fourteen former supporters of the Communist Party of the Philippines-New People's Army in Maria Aurora, Aurora vow loyalty to the government in a ceremony held at a covered court in Barangay Cabituculan East, Maria Aurora on Saturday (July 11, 2020). Their oath of allegiance was facilitated by the Philippine Army’s 91st Infantry “Sinagtala” Battalion (91IB), Maria Aurora Police Station, and the local government unit of Maria Aurora. (Photo by Jason de Asis)
BALER, Aurora – At least 14 former supporters of the Communist Party of the Philippines-New People’s Army (CPP-NPA) vowed loyalty to the government in a ceremony held in Barangay Cabituculan East, Maria Aurora, this province on Saturday.
Their oath of allegiance was facilitated by the Philippine Army’s 91st Infantry “Sinagtala” Battalion (91IB), Maria Aurora Police Station, and the local government unit of Maria Aurora.
The surrenderers are categorized as underground mass organization (UGMO) members and they also members of the Panlalawigang Alyansang Magbubukid ng Aurora (Pamana).
The group took a pledge of allegiance to the Philippine Constitution before the Executive Officer of 91IB, Major Sagersanti C. Estrada.
Mercado said the participants’ renunciation of support to CPP-NPA shows that they have awakened from the lies and deceptions of the terrorist rebels.
He said surrenderers are now in the right direction to air their land problem issues as the government is willing to help them to address the matter.
“The leftist organizations are destroyers of good correlations and relations, properties, livelihoods, jobs, and future of the citizens. The CPP-NPA does not help in what the government is doing to the Covid-19 problem. Instead, they ambushed the soldiers and police. They are extortionists, criminals, bandits, and continuously sow violence such as burning the equipment, which is the true image of terrorist bandits. You did the right thing by turning back from Pamana because the government is the right agency to solve the land problems),” Mercado said in Filipino in an interview.
Town Mayor Amado M. Geneta encouraged his constituents to end their support to the rebel groups to reach the desired lasting peace and sustain the development of Maria Aurora.
Geneta also thanked the 91st IB for initiating the Community Support Program that provides security and assistance in the delivery of the government programs to his constituents.
The activity was also witnessed by Amado Angara, municipal local government operations officer of the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG); Association of Barangay Captains (ABC) president Maria Elena Niser; Barangay Captain Conrado I. Laureta; Deputy Chief of Police for Administration Lieutenant Ryan Mercado; and other local officials. (PNA)
