BUTUAN CITY – Two New People’s Army leaders and six members surrendered to the military in Surigao del Sur last April.
Lt. Col. Francisco P. Garello Jr., 4th Infantry (Diamond) Division (ID) Public Affairs Office (PAO) chief, said six of them turned themselves in to the 36th Infantry (Valor) Battalion under the 901st Infantry Brigade. Garello said they yielded 13 high-powered firearms.
SIX New People's Army rebels surrendered in Surigao del Sur last month.
The surrenderers were identified as alias Nico and Manu, the deputy secretary, his wife, alias Dayding and Jeva, the finance and logistics officer, of the weakened Guerilla Front 30 (WGF30), Sub-Regional Committee-Westland (SRC-WL) of the Northeastern Mindanao Regional Committee (NEMRC); alias Reyan, medic of Platoon 1; alias Ching, team leader, Squad 1, Platoon 1; and members alias Jomar and Eloy.
Brig. Gen Arsenio Sadural, commanding general of the Army 901st Brigade, said that their surrender is a crucial step in attaining genuine peace in Surigao del Sur. Sadural said the couple was the remaining notorious figure of the NPA operating in the province.
Major Gen. Jose Maria R. Cuerpo II said the surrender of Nico is a major significant development and could be the final straw of the end of the terrorist group in Surigao del Sur, particularly the WFG30.
Two other communist rebels, alias Zider and Hotse, and Efren Salinas Belandres, surrendered to the 3rd Special Forces Battalion led by Lt. Col. Paulo F. Baylon under the 401st Infantry Brigade headed by Brig. Gen. Francisco Lorenzo on Thursday, April 30. They turned in a M653 rifle.