Another self-confessed member of the New People’s Army gave up the armed struggle and surrendered an M16 assault rifle with a magazine containing 29 ammunition to the 62ND Infantry Battalion and Regional Mobile Force Battalion 7 in Brgy. Libas, Isabela, Negros Occidental, Oct. 27.
Capt. Kelvin Bayaban, 303rd Infantry Brigade Civil Military Operations officer, said that Juan Vergara, alias Mel, a member of the Sandatahang Yunit Pampropaganda Platoon of CentraL Negros 1, Komiteng Rehiyonal-Negros/Cebu/Bohol/Siquijor, decided to surrender after realizing the futility of armed struggle.
The surrender of Vergara, facililtated by Guihulngan City Mayor Joarge Joan Reyes, came after two NPA members operating in Guihulngan City hinterlands gave themselves up to 62IB last week.
Col. Inocencio Pasaporte, 303rd Infantry Brigade commander, encouraged other remaining NPA members to follow the footsteps of Vergara and several others, who abandoned the armed struggle, to reunite with their respective families, and take advantage of the Enhanced Comprehensive Local Integration Program (E-CLIP) of the government.
Under the E-CLIP, a former rebel is entitled to receive an initial P15, 000 financial assistance and P50,000 livelihood assistance if he or she surrender firearms.
