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Manila Bulletin devider Philippines devider National devider Army facilitates COVID-19 vaccination of 40 ex-NPAs, 10 dependents

Army facilitates COVID-19 vaccination of 40 ex-NPAs, 10 dependents

Published Sep 19, 2021 01:09 pm

If there's one good thing that came out of the COVID-19 pandemic, it is the peace that was achieved between several New People's Army (NPA) fighters and the Philippine Army (PA).

At least 40 communist rebels, including a high-ranking officer, and 10 of their dependents who surrendered to the government have been vaccinated against COVID-19 through the help of the 4th Infantry Division (4ID), a high-ranking military official said Sunday, September 19.

At least 40 communist rebels, including a high-ranking officer, and 10 of their dependents who surrendered to the government have been vaccinated against COVID-19 through the help of the Philippine Army's 4th Infantry Division. (Photo: 4ID)

Maj. Gen. Romeo Brawner Jr., commander of 4ID, said the military "is serious" in their offer to help vaccinate communists leaders and members when they learned that eight of the rebels that were either killed or captured during the Sept. 8 and 10 encounters in Bukidnon turned out to be positive for COVID-19.

Among those vaccinated is Jimwel Salazar alias "Zian" or "Ben Tuko," who got his first dose of Sinovac-CoronaVac vaccine last Friday. Salazar is a former commanding officer of the Sub-Regional Sentro De Gravidad (SRSDG) Westland of the North Eastern Mindanao Regional Committee (NEMRC) but he surrendered to the Eastern Mindanao Command (EastMinCom) sometime in January or February this year.

The 88th Infantry Battalion (88IB) also facilitated the vaccination of 11 former rebels and their six dependents in Maramag, Bukidnon on Thursday. All of them received Sinovac and AstraZeneca shots.

On the same day, the 58th Infantry Battalion (58IB) coordinated with the local government unit (LGU) of Claveria, Misamis Oriental to inoculate 15 former rebels from the different units of the NPA's North Central Mindanao Regional Committee (NCMRC) using Moderna and Sinovac jabs.

Meanwhile, seven former rebels from the NPA's Guerilla Front 8, Guerilla Front 19, and sub regional group of North Eastern Mindanao Regional Committee (NEMRC) were vaccinated through the assistance of the 75th Infantry Battalion (75IB) last Wednesday in San Miguel, Surigao del Sur.

Finally, the 23rd Infantry Battalion (23IB) coordinated with the LGU of Buenavista, Agusan del Norte to have six former rebels and their four dependents vaccinated against COVID-19.

"True to our promise, we have since coordinated with LGU health offices to accommodate CTG members and leaders for vaccination," Brawner said.

In fact, Brawner disclosed that more than 20,000 doses of COVID-19 vaccines were alloted to the line units of 4ID and they were willing to share it to the communist rebels who will surrender.

"We reiterate our willingness to share to the CTG members the vaccines intended for our soldiers. We ensure them that we will give them proper medical attention and get them vaccinated once they return to the folds of the law," he said.

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