586 CPP-NPAs neutralized, surrenderers continue in Caraga region
Published Jun 30, 2020 04:05 pm
By Mike Crismundo
CAMP BANCASI, Butuan City - The Army in Caraga region on Friday confirmed the continuous exodus of Communist New People’s Army Terrorist (CNT) members and supporters to the government as 586 Regulars, Milisyang Bayan and UGMO members have been neutralized and continues to increase after a series of surrenders has transpired last week particularly in the provinces of Surigao del Norte and Agusan del Norte.
CPP-NPA logo (MANILA BULLETIN)
“There are still others who are sending surrender fellers to our field units,” Maj. Francisco P. Garello, Jr., Civil Military Operations (CMO) officer of the Army’s 402nd Infantry (Stingers) Brigade told The Manila Bulletin on Friday.
The series of surrenders last week was highlighted by the return to the folds of the law by several high-ranking NPA commanders and political officers belonging to Guerilla Front 16 of the CPP-NPA North Eastern Mindanao Regional Committee (GF 16, NEMRC), claimed the 402nd Brigade CMO officer.
The dysfunction within the organization (CPP-NPA) is the big factor that led to their decision to surrender and end their armed struggle,” claimed Maj. Garello, based on their initial investigation of a ranking field commander of the SYP 16-B of GF 16, NEMRC, who yielded last week to the field unit, he said.
The suurender of this CNT commander and his squad commanders last week ensued after the follow-up operations as a result of the revelations of alias “Ka RD”, a political instructor (PI) of Platun Dos of SYP 16-B of GF16, NEMRC who surrendered to 30th IB in Surigao del Norte last June 1, 2019. Alias RD stayed for six years in the CNT organization and was a tricycle driver before leaving his family to join the CNT as he was deceitfully promised to have a better life and financial support for his family, Maj. Garello said.
Other surrenderers were alias “Ka Yam” - PI of SYP 16-C, alias “Ka Ronnie” - former vice commanding officer SYP 16-B and alias “Ka Apol” – vice squad commander SYP 16-B bringing along with them 3 high powered firearms last June 18, 2019 to 30th IB under Lt. Col. Allen Raymund Tomas.
Likewise, alias “Ka King” and alias “Ka Boyka”, former member and vice squad commander, respectively, of SYP16-A yielded to 29th IB on the same date bringing along with them one M14 rifle, 1 shotgun and 2 anti-personnel mines. Meanwhile, alias “Ka Wella” – PI of SYP16-B and alias “Ka Mark” – team leader of Squad Dos of SYP 16-B were convinced to surrender last June 20, 2019 along with alias “Ka Noname”, the 402nd Brigade CMO officer said.
The series of encounters and surrenders, legal cases filed in court and the shift of support of the masses particularly the IP communities and leaders thru the declaration of “persona non grata” of the CNT and their allied left-leaning groups and the continuous discovery of hide-outs and food/arms cache have caused the disintegration and major setbacks within the terrorist organization, he said.
For this quarter alone, major debacles of the CNTs have contributed to some CNTs going on lie low and some went into hiding. Among the most notable defeat of the CNT were the encounter of 23rd IB in Agusan del Norte last May 9 and 11, 2019 where 3 CNTs were killed and on May 19, 2019 in two separate clashes of 36th IB and 29th IB against CNTs in Surigao del Sur and Agusan del Norte, respectively wherein 5 CNTs died, he said.
Col. Maurito L. Licudine, commanding officer of the 402nd Brigade said “They are disintegrating and we will sustain the pressure and pursue them, but our persistent call for their surrender thru various means will also continue. Our sincerity in helping alias RD when he surrendered, has become the model for others to follow suit”.
“What convinced the said surrenderers to abandon the CNT organization was their leaders’ decision to give up fighting since it is going nowhere. This caused uncertainties on the real intent of the CNT organization coupled with the abuses and corruption that is weakening their resolve and further aggravated by the dwindling support from the masses,” he said.
Since January 1 this year, the intensified campaign against the CNTs resulted to major victories of the 402nd Brigade. A total of 40 clashes transpired between the government troops and the CNTs in Caraga for the period favoring the government troops. Five hundred eighty – six CNTs have been neutralized composed of four hundred forty four (444) surrenders (sixty – five (65) NPA Regulars, fifty – four (54) Militia ng Bayan (MB) and four hundred forty – four (444) personalities from their Underground Mass Organizations (UGMO), 7 apprehended and 16 killed CNTs for the period, record of the 402nd Brigade showed.
"We will remain open for other CNTs who want to surrender and ending this problem without shedding blood is what we desire more,” he said.
“This will pave the way for peace and development especially in support to the establishment of disaster and conflict resilient communities in the geographically isolated and disadvantaged areas and the conflict affected areas in Caraga and I call on the remaining CNTs to stop the violence, let our people feel a just and lasting peace they have dreamed for so long and avail the reintegration program of the government, the E-CLIP and live a peaceful life with your families”, Col. Licudine added.
CPP-NPA logo (MANILA BULLETIN)
“There are still others who are sending surrender fellers to our field units,” Maj. Francisco P. Garello, Jr., Civil Military Operations (CMO) officer of the Army’s 402nd Infantry (Stingers) Brigade told The Manila Bulletin on Friday.
The series of surrenders last week was highlighted by the return to the folds of the law by several high-ranking NPA commanders and political officers belonging to Guerilla Front 16 of the CPP-NPA North Eastern Mindanao Regional Committee (GF 16, NEMRC), claimed the 402nd Brigade CMO officer.
The dysfunction within the organization (CPP-NPA) is the big factor that led to their decision to surrender and end their armed struggle,” claimed Maj. Garello, based on their initial investigation of a ranking field commander of the SYP 16-B of GF 16, NEMRC, who yielded last week to the field unit, he said.
The suurender of this CNT commander and his squad commanders last week ensued after the follow-up operations as a result of the revelations of alias “Ka RD”, a political instructor (PI) of Platun Dos of SYP 16-B of GF16, NEMRC who surrendered to 30th IB in Surigao del Norte last June 1, 2019. Alias RD stayed for six years in the CNT organization and was a tricycle driver before leaving his family to join the CNT as he was deceitfully promised to have a better life and financial support for his family, Maj. Garello said.
Other surrenderers were alias “Ka Yam” - PI of SYP 16-C, alias “Ka Ronnie” - former vice commanding officer SYP 16-B and alias “Ka Apol” – vice squad commander SYP 16-B bringing along with them 3 high powered firearms last June 18, 2019 to 30th IB under Lt. Col. Allen Raymund Tomas.
Likewise, alias “Ka King” and alias “Ka Boyka”, former member and vice squad commander, respectively, of SYP16-A yielded to 29th IB on the same date bringing along with them one M14 rifle, 1 shotgun and 2 anti-personnel mines. Meanwhile, alias “Ka Wella” – PI of SYP16-B and alias “Ka Mark” – team leader of Squad Dos of SYP 16-B were convinced to surrender last June 20, 2019 along with alias “Ka Noname”, the 402nd Brigade CMO officer said.
The series of encounters and surrenders, legal cases filed in court and the shift of support of the masses particularly the IP communities and leaders thru the declaration of “persona non grata” of the CNT and their allied left-leaning groups and the continuous discovery of hide-outs and food/arms cache have caused the disintegration and major setbacks within the terrorist organization, he said.
For this quarter alone, major debacles of the CNTs have contributed to some CNTs going on lie low and some went into hiding. Among the most notable defeat of the CNT were the encounter of 23rd IB in Agusan del Norte last May 9 and 11, 2019 where 3 CNTs were killed and on May 19, 2019 in two separate clashes of 36th IB and 29th IB against CNTs in Surigao del Sur and Agusan del Norte, respectively wherein 5 CNTs died, he said.
Col. Maurito L. Licudine, commanding officer of the 402nd Brigade said “They are disintegrating and we will sustain the pressure and pursue them, but our persistent call for their surrender thru various means will also continue. Our sincerity in helping alias RD when he surrendered, has become the model for others to follow suit”.
“What convinced the said surrenderers to abandon the CNT organization was their leaders’ decision to give up fighting since it is going nowhere. This caused uncertainties on the real intent of the CNT organization coupled with the abuses and corruption that is weakening their resolve and further aggravated by the dwindling support from the masses,” he said.
Since January 1 this year, the intensified campaign against the CNTs resulted to major victories of the 402nd Brigade. A total of 40 clashes transpired between the government troops and the CNTs in Caraga for the period favoring the government troops. Five hundred eighty – six CNTs have been neutralized composed of four hundred forty four (444) surrenders (sixty – five (65) NPA Regulars, fifty – four (54) Militia ng Bayan (MB) and four hundred forty – four (444) personalities from their Underground Mass Organizations (UGMO), 7 apprehended and 16 killed CNTs for the period, record of the 402nd Brigade showed.
"We will remain open for other CNTs who want to surrender and ending this problem without shedding blood is what we desire more,” he said.
“This will pave the way for peace and development especially in support to the establishment of disaster and conflict resilient communities in the geographically isolated and disadvantaged areas and the conflict affected areas in Caraga and I call on the remaining CNTs to stop the violence, let our people feel a just and lasting peace they have dreamed for so long and avail the reintegration program of the government, the E-CLIP and live a peaceful life with your families”, Col. Licudine added.