CAMP AGUINALDO, Quezon City – Three communist NPA terrorists (CNTs) militia or milisyang bayan (MB) surrendered to 89th Infantry Battalion (89IB) under the 1003rd Brigade of the Philippine Army's 10th Infantry Division (10ID) in Davao de Oro on weekend, April 3.
Military's sincerity and delivery of better government services are the reasons Alias Rustom, Alias Jomar, and Alias Justin (true name withheld for their security) when they surrendered to the soldiers of 89IB in Sitio Peroy Barangay Dagohoy, Talaingod, Davao de Oro. They belonged to the Subregional Guerilla Unit (SRGU), Subregional Committee Five (SRC5) of the NPA's Southern Mindanao Regional Committee (SMRC).
The trio also surrendered their firearms composed of one Garand rifle, one M16 rifle, and a shotgun.
The surrenderees are currently at the 89IB headquarters for proper disposition, and while their Enhanced Comprehensive Local Integration Program (ECLIP) benefits are on process.
Maj. Gen. Nolasco A Mempin, Commander of the 10th Infantry Division, said that the surrender of CNTs in its AOR is due to the effective programs of the National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (NTF-ELCAC).
"We are now reaping the fruit of the relentless programs of the NTF-ELCAC. For the first quarter of this year, numerous high-ranking communist terrorist group leaders surrendered to 10ID. At the same time, two (2) CTG guerilla units, namely Subregional Committee 5 (SRC5) and Subregional Gueriall Unit (SRGU) were dismantled," Maj. Gen. Mempin said.
In a statement, Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) Chief Gen. Andres C Centino said that the AFP is intensifying its focused military operations (FMOs) to eliminate the threat brought by the CNTs as the military prepare to secure the upcoming election in May.
"The AFP welcomes the surrender of the CNTs and members of the local terrorist groups (LTGs) in the country, but we will continue our focused military operations until the last CNT or LTG members surrender or are neutralized in our security operations," Gen. Centino emphasized.///(Photo from 10ID, PA)
