• GILBERT P. BAYORAN
Twenty-five more members of the Communist Party of the Philippines-New People’s Army (CPP-NPA) have surrendered en masse to the Philippine Army in Negros Occidental, and pledged allegiance to the government in a ceremony held in Himamaylan City on Friday.
The surrender of 20 NPA combatants and five militiamen, who are members of the Central Negros 2, under the Komiteng Rehiyonal Negros/Cebu/Bohol/Siquijor, came a month after 12 NPA fighters also surrendered to 79th Infantry Battalion in Sagay City.
In a statement, Lt. Gen. Benedict Arevalo, commander of the AFP Visayas Command, said the surrender of 25 rebels was a product of a localized peace engagement of the Philippine Army in Negros Island.
They also surrendered eight firearms, including eight shotguns and two caliber .38 revolvers.
The influx of surrenders from the ranks of CPP-NPA delivered a substantial blow that will further weaken the communist-terrorist group in Negros Island, Arevalo said.
One of the surrenderers said that they decided to surrender because of fatigue and starvation, while running away from Army soldiers, who were relentlessly pursuing them.
The 25 rebels were presented by Brig. Gen. Orlando Edralin, 303rd Infantry Brigade commander, and Lt. Col. Van Donald Almonte, 94th Infantry Battalion commander, and other members of the Local Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict, who facilitated their surrender, at the Himamaylan City Hall.
Edralin lauded the courage and determination of 25 rebels to choose the path of peace.
The surrenderers are now under the custody of the 94IB for profiling and assessment in order to avail of the benefits under the Enhanced Comprehensive Local Integration Program. | GB
