• GILBERT P. BAYORAN
The mass surrender of New People’s Army (NPA) combatants continues as another batch of communist rebels abandoned the armed struggle and yielded to the Philippine Army’s 94th Infantry Battalion (IB) in Negros Occidental.
Capt. Mervin Rosal, spokesperson of 303rd Infantry Brigade (IB), yesterday said that four armed rebels also pledged their allegiance to the government in a ceremony held in Kabankalan City.
This came after 25 rebels, with eight firearms, surrendered last week to the 94IB in Himamaylan City.
The 29 former rebels are all members of the weakened NPA Central Negros 2 of the Komiteng Rehiyonal Negros/Cebu/Bohol/Siquior.
During their presentation to Mayor Benjie Miranda in Kabankalan City, each of the four former rebels got P20,000 cash and livelihood assistance and food packs from the Local Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict.
The 25 others, who surrendered in Himamaylan City, also got assistance also from the city government led by Mayor Rogelio Raymond Tongson.
In a statement, Brig. Gen. Orlando Edralin, commander of 303IB, lauded the decision of four more rebels in choosing the path of unity and transformation.
Since the start of the year, the 303IB has recorded the surrender of 75 disgruntled NPA rebels to various Army units in Negros Occidental. | GB
