The surrenderers consist of 14 NPA members, four Kilusang Rebolusyonaryo sa Munisipalidad (KRM), 168 Kilusang Rebolusyonaryo sa Barrio (KRB) members, two former teachers, 13 students of the Salugpungan School, and seven former Haran Bakwits.
These groups who belong to the NPA’s Sub-Regional Committee 5 (SRC) in Southern Mindanao had declared “Pagsalikway” or rejection to the CPP-NPA-NDF.
The ceremony happened following the surrender of eight remnants of the NPA’s Sub-Regional Guerrilla Unit (SRGU) and two NPA to the barrios recently where they also yielded ten high-powered firearms.
Captain Mark Anthony Tito, the chief of Philippine Army’s 10th Infantry Division said that the SRC was responsible for creating recruitment schools such as Salugpungan Ta Tanu Igkanugon Learning Center (STTILC) and Mindanao Interfaith Services Foundation, Inc. (MISFI).
These schools, according to Tito, were able to contribute to the national and international urban mass movement campaigns against the government.
The said committee was considered as the most advanced SRC in the Region and the first to establish a KRM in the Philippines in 2004.
It’s military arm was composed of 3 Guerilla Fronts (GFs) and 1 Sub-regional Guerilla Unit (SRGU) supported by 3 Pulang Bagani Command (PBC).
1003rd Infantry Brigade commander Colonel Consolito Yecla assured the surrenderers that the military will defend them and their ancestral domains.
“All we are asking is your cooperation and total rejection of the communist group,” Yecla said.
10th ID commander Major General Nolasco A Mempin, for his part lauded the outstanding accomplishment of the 1003rd Brigade.
He also thanked the former UGMO members who vowed to empower their communities and reject the ideology of the CPP-NPA-NDF and never again be exploited by the Communist Terrorist Group.
“I enjoin everyone to continuously support our effort in ending this five-decade-long insurgency. With the masses now awakened and enlightened by the truth, let us protect our children from being lured again into the evil plague of terrorism brought by the CPP-NPA-NDF,” Mempin said.
Photos: 10th ID