Brig. Gen. Ferdinand Barandon, commander of the Army 403rd Infantry Brigade (IB), disclosed that the surrenderers are remnants of the splinter group of the Sub-Regional Committee-5 (SRC-5) under the North Central Mindanao Regional Committee (NCMRC).
The Army 4th Infantry Division (ID) said the NPA returnees surrendered to the 1st Special Forces Battalion (1SFBn) under the operational control of the Task Force Peacemaker of the 403rd IB last June 6. They turned over one low-powered firearm and six high-powered firearms.
Barandon assured that they will intensify their focused military operations to encourage other NPA rebels to return to the government.
"This is the result of our focused military operations to persuade the CTG remnants to return to the fold of law and exhausted their morale and will to fight,” Barandon said.
“Recent losses during encounters and our relentless peace and development efforts here in Bukidnon and Lanao del Sur made their situation very difficult and always on the run," he added.
Major Gen. Wilbur Mamawag, 4th ID commander, commended the efforts of the 403rd IB and stressed that the NPA forces have weakened.
Mamawag revealed that seven guerilla fronts of the NCMRC have been dismantled and the remnants of its vertical forces have weakened due to recent surrenders and the continuous rejection of the community.
“The communist terrorist group or commonly known as CPP-NPA-NDF have lost in their deception and no longer receives support from the masses. Their futile attempt to recover their previous influenced areas has been a complete failure as the communities continue to work hand in hand with the government forces to fight terrorism," Mamawag said.
The 11 NPA returnees will be enrolled in the Enhanced Comprehensive Local Integration Program (ECLIP) after completing the validation process under Joint AFP-PNP Intelligence Committee.