PEACEFUL SURRENDER. Three New People’s Army (NPA) fighters surrender to the Philippine Army’s 60th Infantry Battalion on Tuesday (April 5, 2022) in Barangay Gupitan, Kapalong, Davao del Norte. The rebels said they suffered from persistent lack of food and other essential supplies. (Photo courtesy of 60IB)
DAVAO CITY – Some three communist New Peoples' Army (NPA) fighters surrendered to military troops in Barangay Gupitan, Kapalong, Davao del Norte, the Army’s 10th Infantry Division (ID) here said Wednesday.
In a statement, 10ID identified the surrenderers as alias Bernon or Dose, a squad leader, alias Gorio, and alias Yanyan--all belonging to an NPA guerrilla unit under the Southern Mindanao Regional Command (SMRC).
The surrrenderers, who yielded on Tuesday, are all on an Army watchlist of NPA members operating in the boundaries of Davao de Oro, Agusan del Sur, and Davao del Norte, 10ID said.
The three yielded two high-powered firearms, assorted medical paraphernalia, and war matériel.
Bernon said he and his colleagues decided to surrender after many of their leaders have already abandoned the rebel group recently.
In addition, he said they can no longer sustain the hardship, lack of supplies, and support from their mass base.
“We have no other means to survive since we cannot meet our needs from our former mass base anymore," the former rebel was quoted as saying.
Bernon said their surrender also became easier through the help of their former comrades, who assured them that the military would take care of all their needs, including legal requirements, and help them connect with their families and loved ones.
On February 26, 13 members of the same NPA unit led by its commanding officer, alias SM, surrendered to the 60IB. Four other rebels led by a certain Datu Makatindog, the front’s secretary, also yielded on March 31.
Lt. Col. Merrill Sumalinog, acting 60ID commander, noted that the series of surrenders "happened without a single bullet shot against the enemy."
The CPP-NPA is listed as a terrorist organization by the United States, the European Union, the United Kingdom, Australia, Canada, New Zealand, and the Philippines.
The Anti-Terrorism Council also formally designated the NDF as a terrorist organization on June 23, 2021, citing it as “an integral and inseparable part” of the CPP-NPA that was created in April 1973. (PNA)
