• GILBERT P. BAYORAN
Following the losses suffered by the New People’s Army in central Negros, nine more self-confessed rebels have surrendered to the 94th Infantry Battalion.
The nine NPA rebels, members of the Central Negros 2 under the Komiteng Rehiyonal Negros/Cebu/Bohol/Siquijor, also surrendered an M14 assault rifle, three homemade 12-gauge shotguns and a .38 caliber revolver, according to Capt. Mervin Rosal, 303rd Infantry Brigade Civil Military Operations officer.
Lt. Col. Van Donald Almonte, 94th Infantry Battalion commander, yesterday presented the nine former rebels to Brig. Gen. Orlando Edralin, commanding officer of the 303rd Infantry Brigade, at Camp Major Nelson Gerona in Brgy. Minoyan, Murcia.
The surrendered NPA rebels were led by their vice platoon leader, who served with the Sentro De Grabidad Platoon of Central Negros 2. His identity and that of eight comrades were withheld for security reasons.
Other surrenderees occupied positions at Central Negros 2 as squad leader, finance logistics officer, regular Red fighters, and Yunit Militia members, Rosal said.
Edralin and Almonte lauded the decision of nine rebels to abandon the armed struggle.
Nine NPA fighters recently died in central Negros, while two others surrendered, in separate gun battles with Army soldiers in Moises Padilla, Negros Occidental, and Guihulngan City, Negros Oriental. Another also died in an encounter in Cauayan, Negros Occidental.
A total of 16 assorted firearms, as well as several explosives and improvised landmines, among other war materials were recovered from the encounter sites by government forces who are still in pursuit of NPA remnants in central Negros.
Edralin NPA in Negros has further weakened by series setbacks they suffered from the continuing focused operations of the Philippine Army in Negros Island.
They can run, but they cannot hide for so long, he stressed, apparently referring to the NPA remnants.
In his visit to the 94IB headquarters in Ayungon, Negros Oriental, on Thursday, AFP chief of staff Gen. Andres Centino reminded them to remain resolute in the campaign to reduce internal security threats.
“I commend all of you for the good leadership resulting in remarkable accomplishments. I would like to direct the commanders to make sure that there’s a sense of urgency in what we do. I am very satisfied with our level of discipline, which gives us a high trust rating,” Centino told 94IB troopers.
The nine surrendered rebels expected to receive financial and livelihood assistance from the government, through the Enhanced Comprehensive Local Integration Program of the Department of Social Welfare and Development, while those who surrendered firearms are also receiving cash, in exchange for the guns they surrendered.*
