CAMP RAFAEL C. RODRIGUEZ, Butuan City -- Realizing their useless fight will not succeed as their weary followers have been surrendering due to hunger and lack of logistical support, two commanders of the communist-New People’s Army (NPA) voluntarily gave up themselves to a police unit in Caraga region, police reported Saturday, Oct. 22.
"The increasing number of Communist Terrorist Group (CTG) surrenders and the neutralization of some their higher leaders, including their members, and supporters that brought significant losses to their movement also made these two NPA commanders to lay down their arms peacefully and went back to the folds of the law,” said Police Regional Office 13 (PRO 13) Regional Director Brig. Gen. Romeo M. Caramat, Jr.
Brig. Gen. Caramat identified the two NPA leaders as certain ‘Rolex’ 22, vice team commander of Kaloy Squad 1, Platoon 1 of the CPP-NPA, Sub-Regional Sentro de Grabidad (SRSDG) Westland, and ‘Commander Clinton,’ 21, of Squad 2, Guerilla Front Committee 22 (GFC 22) of the CPP-NPA Northeastern Mindanao Regional Committee (NEMRC).
Identities of the two former rebels were temporarily withheld for their safety.
Rolex and Clinton handed over a shotgun and a .22 caliber revolver upon their surrender.
The unyielding efforts and negotiations of Surigao del Sur Provincial Intelligence Unit also prompted the two to return to the government fold of law, said Brig. Gen. Caramat.
“With the continuing and aggressive efforts of the PNP and AFP against terrorism and the active support given by government agencies and the public on these efforts, we are optimistic that the CTG will soon meet its end," the region’s top cop said.
The two former rebels are now being enrolled in the Enhanced Comprehensive Local Integration Program or E-CLIP.