COMMUNITY POLICE WORK. Police Regional Office 13 (Caraga) Director Brig. Gen. Pablo Labra II reports on Tuesday (Feb. 28, 2023) the surrender of 40 New People’s Army (NPA) rebels. They surrendered to various police units in the region from Feb. 19 to 26. (Image courtesy of PRO-13)
BUTUAN CITY – Forty communist New People’s Army (NPA) rebels surrendered to various field units of the Police Regional Office (PRO) 13 (Caraga) from Feb. 19 to 26, an official said Tuesday.
PRO-13 Director Brig. Gen. Pablo Labra II said the series of surrenders came after the intensified implementation of the Revitalized Pulis sa Barangay (R-PSB) program in the region.
“The execution of R-PSB has greatly contributed to the voluntary surrender of our former rebels who have been living for years in deceit,” Labra said in a statement.
Of the total number, 29 NPA rebels surrendered to the Agusan del Norte Police while 11 separately yielded to the police offices of Agusan del Sur, Surigao del Norte, Surigao del Sur, the Regional Mobile Force Battalion 13, and the PRO-13’s Intelligence Division.
The surrenderers also handed over to the government 21 high-powered firearms.
“We would like to put on record that these people voluntarily went to the different police offices to embrace a new beginning and avail (of) the benefits of the government's Enhanced Comprehensive Local Integration Program,” Labra said.
Alias Jean, a member of NPA Guerrilla Front 4A (GF-4A), North Central Mindanao Regional Committee (NCMRC), was among those who surrendered in Agusan del Norte during the week.
“There is no peace in the NPA movement as the revolution they espouse only burdened the communities,” Jean, 34, said in the vernacular during a phone interview Tuesday.
Another surrenderer, only identified as Lito of the NPA Sentro De Grabidad, GF-4A of NCMRC, said he was convinced to abandon the communist movement after he engaged the local officials in his area through the R-PSB program.
“I am tired of running and hiding. All I want now is to go back to my family,” the 31-year-old said.
Meanwhile, Labra cited the implementation of the DADDI program in the different police stations in the region for contributing to the surrender of the 40 rebels.
DADDI stands for "Do observe cleanliness in camps and offices, Adherence to internal discipline, Drug war continues, Develop and strengthen police-community relationship, and Intensified anti-criminality campaign." (PNA)
