Arnado surrendered to Army 1002nd Brigade commander Brig. Gen. Potenciano Camba at the advance command post of the military. North Cotabato Rep. Rudy Caoagan accompanied Arnado to Camba.
The KMP Mindanao chairman said in a virtual press conference that he could not tell whether his late son was the reason for his choice to return to the fold of the law, but one thing is for sure, he has long been planning to surrender to authorities.
“Sa akong nahinumdoman, akoa na ning gi-plano daan sa paglingkod ni Pangulong Duterte sa iyang pagtugis sa mga progresibong organisasyon na mupahulay nako (I have planned to surrender once Rodrigo Duterte leads the country),” Arnado said.
President Duterte had earlier urged communist legal fronts to abandon armed violence. He also advised lawmakers to get real and admit their ties with the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) – the armed wing of the New People’s Army (NPA).
Arnado assured that he will no longer return to the organizations he once belonged to. He said that he regretted joining the legal front for 20 years as he no longer sees any hope back then. He is also sure that the organizations he held will not want him back either.
The former KMP Mindanao chairman said that he is determined to live a normal and peaceful life. He also expressed his sincere apology to people he had deceive when he was still part of the organization.