COURTESY VISIT. Three former rebels of the New People's Army are presented to Negros Oriental Governor Manuel Sagarbarria on Friday afternoon (April 19, 2024). Two of them surrendered to be with their wives and children. (Contributed photo)
DUMAGUETE CITY – Three members of the Communist Party of the Philippines-New People’s Army (CPP-NPA) in southern Negros Oriental have surrendered to authorities to be reunited with their families.
One of the rebels has an infanticipating wife while another is a new father.
Both wives were also former NPA members, 1Lt. Bernadith Campeon, acting Civil-Military Operations chief of the Philippine Army’s 11th Infantry Battalion, said in a report Friday.
Campeon identified the three as alias Ann, the platoon medical officer of the dismantled South East Front (SEF); alias Ensoy/Renzo, vice squad leader of Squad 2 of SEF; and alias Clifford, the platoon finance logistic officer of SEF.
Ensoy/Renzo turned over an M-16 rifle, a magazine, and 12 rounds of ammunition while Clifford handed over a caliber .45 handgun with seven rounds of ammunition.
The wives of Ensoy/Renzo and Clifford, identified only by their aliases, Maine and Aubrey, surrendered in December 2023 and January 2024, respectively.
One of the wives gave birth earlier this year at Negros Oriental Provincial Hospital in this capital city.
Campeon told the Philippine News Agency in an interview that the husbands were convinced to surrender peacefully through repeated appeals by their wives via social media.
After debriefing, they were presented to Governor Manuel Sagarbarria, head of the Provincial Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict, on Friday afternoon.
Campeon said they are now processing the enrolment of the former rebels to the Enhanced Comprehensive Local Integration Program (E-CLIP) so they can receive assistance. (PNA)
