TUGUEGARAO CITY, Cagayan – One-hundred fifty supporters and members of the New People’s Army (NPA) from Rizal and Sto. Nino, this province, have surrendered to the military.
Northern Luzon Command chief Lt. Gen. Arnulfo Marcelo B. Burgos Jr. said Saturday that this is a strong indication of the communist terrorists’ nearing defeat in Northern Luzon.
The 150 surrenderers were composed of 72 Milisya ng Bayan from Barangays Masi, Bural, and San Juan in Rizal; 37 Milisya ng Bayan from Barangays Balagan and Calassitan in Sto. Nino; 19 members of the Pambansang Katipunan ng mga Magbubukid (PKM), nine members of Malayang Kilusan ng Bagong Kababaihan (Makibaka), and five members of the Kabataang Makabayan from Barangay Abariongan Uneg, Sto. Nino; and eight members of the Kabataang Makabayan from Barangay Calassitan, Sto. Nino.
“This mass surrender of Milisya ng Bayan and party members from the different NPA-affiliated mass organizations is a testament that the communist terrorists no longer enjoy the mass base support in these areas,” Burgos said.
Localized peace negotiations facilitated by the 17th Infantry Battalion, Marine Battalion Landing Team (MBLT) 10, 77th Infantry Battalion, and the Philippine National Police through the Community Support Program, with the support of the local government units of Rizal and Sto. Nino, led to their surrender.
Burgos noted that they were innocent individuals who had fallen victims to the false promises and deception of the communist terrorists.
“It is therefore our moral obligation to reach out to them and pull them back to mainstream society. Since at the end of the day, they are still our people who just wanted to live a peaceful and progressive life, which every Filipino deserves,” he added.