• GILBERT P. BAYORAN
Another member of the New People’s Army (NPA), who is pregnant, surrendered to the Philippine Army’s 11th Infantry Battalion (IB) in Barangay Mantiquil, Siaton, Negros Occidental on Jan. 31.
Ruzela Casilao, alias Maine, 22, a remnant of the dismantled South East Front (SEF) of the Komiteng Rehiyonal Negros/Cebu/Bohol/Siquijor, was the third female rebel in a family way, who recently abandoned the armed struggle after serving the NPA for almost three years, the 3rd Infantry Division (ID) said in a statement.
In December last year, two pregnant members of the dismantled SEF, identified as alias “Sarah” and “Aubrey,” also surrendered, after they were rescued by troops of 11IB and Philippine National Police in Barangay Tayak, also in Siaton.
“Ka Aubrey” recently gave birth to her third child at a hospital in Dumaguete City, after reuniting with her two other minor children, whom she had not met for three years.
Casilao, 22, a finance and logistics officer of SEF Squad 2, decided to surrender due to hardships and demoralization among the remaining members, the 3ID further said.
“The series of surrenders by top cadres and members in Negros strongly manifest that the collaborative efforts of various government instrumentalities and the strong support of civil society organizations are effective in resolving the root causes of the insurgency problem,” it added. | GB
