WELCOME BACK. Brig. Gen. Jimili Macaraeg, Soccsksargen Region police director, welcomes the 15 communist New People’s Army rebels who surrendered during ceremonies at the regional police headquarters in General Santos City on Wednesday (Oct. 26, 2022). The rebels (inset) that included women fighters were operating at the borders of Sarangani, South Cotabato, and Sultan Kudarat. (Photo courtesy of PRO-12)
COTABATO CITY – Fifteen communist rebels have surrendered to the Police Regional Office in the Soccsksargen Region (PRO-12) after realizing that they had been fighting for a worthless ideology, an official said Thursday.
In a statement, Brig. Gen. Jimili Macaraeg, the PRO-12 chief, said they received the New People’s Army (NPA) surrenderers from South Cotabato province at the PRO-12 covered court in Barangay Tambler, General Santos City, on Wednesday.
The rebels were operating at the borders of South Cotabato, Sultan Kudarat, and Sarangani provinces.
After turning over their rifles and pledging allegiance to the Philippine flag, the surrenderers were given sacks of rice, grocery items, and financial assistance from PRO 12 and the South Cotabato provincial government.
“The realization of our brethren to turn their allegiance to the government brings us joy and hope,” Macaraeg said of the surrenderers that included women fighters.
He said the group will be enrolled and processed as beneficiaries of the government’s Enhanced Comprehensive Local Integration Program.
He vowed to help the batch reintegrate into mainstream society and have normal lives again with their loved ones.
“We will be stepping up on our common desire to make Soccsksargen impervious to the atrocities of advocates of this false ideology,” he said. (PNA)
