TWENTY-nine more members of the New People’s Army (NPA) operating in Central Mindanao surrendered to police and military authorities in Sarangani province last Friday, Philippine National Police (PNP) Chief General Rodolfo S. Azurin Jr. said yesterday.

The top cop said that the 29 rebel fighters from the NPA MUSA Platoon Central also turned over high-powered weapons and explosives to the Police Regional Office (PRO) 12 headed by Brig. Gen. Jimili L. Macaraeg and the Army’s 38th Infantry Battalion (IB).

They were received by personnel from the Kiamba Municipal Police Station (MPS) and the 38th IB in ceremonies held at the Army’s 6th Infantry Division headquarters in Kiamba, Sarangani.

The 29 were described as members of the NPA’s Militiang Bayan, many of them indigenous people (IP) who had been recruited by the NPA and promised a “good life” once they were already in the underground movement.

The 29 surrendered five Garand rifles, 17 live Garand ammunition, two caliber 40mm ammunition, one improvised explosive device (IED), and a 70-meter-long electrical wire.

“We are gaining the efforts of the local peace initiatives being pursued by our police units all over the country. We hope that our various sectors in the society will continuously channel their initiatives and encourage to support these peace endeavors of the different LGUs so that we can altogether win this for a peaceful community in general,” Azurin said as he commended the PRO 12 for their latest successful effort to convince more NPA members to yield and avail of the government’s comprehensive livelihood package for rebel returnees.

AUTHOR PROFILE

Alfred P. Dalizon