Thirty communist rebels have surrendered to the Philippine National Police (PNP) ironically on the same day that the New People’s Army (NPA) is celebrating its 52nd founding anniversary on Saturday, a top police official said.
PNP chief Gen. Debold Sinas said those who surrendered are composed of squad leaders and regular fighters of the NPA based in Agusan del Norte.
“During the ceremony, the rebel returnees burned the hammer and sickle flag of the CPP-NPA in a symbolic gesture of total turnaround from the communist ideology. They also took their solemn oath of allegiance to the flag of the Republic of the Philippines,” said Sinas.
Brig. Gen. Romeo Caramat, director of the CARAGA regional police, said the rebels also surrendered a submachine gun, an M14 rifle, 11 12-guage shotguns, and six handguns.
Based on the policy, communist rebels would receive a certain amount of money if they surrender a handgun, the amount depends on the caliber of the firearms.
Sinas, however, said that the operations against the NPA will continue especially that President Duterte rejected a holiday truce with the communist rebels.
“The PNP will extend safe conduct to rebels who will peacefully come down from the hills to join their families for the holidays. We welcome CPP-NPA members who will heed our call to return to the folds of the law and join the mainstream of society as free and empowered citizens,” said Sinas.
In a Twitter post, however, the Chief Information Officer of the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP), mocked the government claim of continuous decline of the NPA members via surrender.
CPP information officer Marco Valbuena posted in his Twitter account that the strength of the NPA has not been reduced in the past few years based on the estimate of the Armed Forces of the Philippines itself.