MARAMAG, Bukidnon, Aug. 18—Twelve New People’s Army (NPA) rebels surrendered at around ten o’clock in the evening on Thursday, August 14, to the 88th Infantry “Maringal” Battalion (88IB) Headquarters in South Poblacion, Maramag, Bukidnon.
The said Former Rebels (FRs) are members of Malayag 1, Guerilla Front Malayag, SRC2, NCMRC under alias ‘Ricky’ operating in the areas of Cabanglasan, Bukidnon.
They were identified as alias Joe, squad leader; alias Rolen (female), squad supply officer; alias Bayan, team leader; alias Gaw-ay, team leader; alias Rock, political guide, alias Tam-is, political guide; alias Banog, member; alias Jack, member; alias Dayrek, MB (Militia ng Bayan) member; alias Justin, MB member; alias Junel, MB member; and alias Opaw, MB member.
Lt. Col. Franklin Fabic, Commanding Officer of 88IB bared that in previous weeks, prior to the group’s surrender, these FRs were involved in the armed battle against the government forces in Cabanglasan municipality that caused a series of failures and defeats of the communist terrorists.
They also surrendered some firearms such as one M16A1, two Garand Rifles, three Carbine M1 Rifles, four Homemade Shotguns, and one caliber 45 pistol.
In a custodial debriefing, alias Rolen shared their hardships in the mountains especially the lack of food.
“Gutom lang ug kalisod among natagamtaman. Nahadlok sad ko sa among kauban nga nangamatay sa engkwentro, basin mapareho mi sa ila. Dili ko gusto mamatay, daghan pako gusto himuon sa akong kinabuhi kauban sa akong anak ug pamilya.” (We experienced hunger and misery. We were also scared when our comrades died in an encounter. We might have the same fate. I don’t want to die, I want to do better things with my child and my family),” Rolen said in dialect.
A few months ago, from May to July, the government troops figured in a series of encounters with the members of Guerilla Front Malayag in the municipalities of San Fernando and Cabanglasan that resulted in the death and wounding of NPAs, seizure of their temporary hideouts, and the capture of numerous firearms, war materials, and subversive documents.
LtCol. Fabic welcomed the voluntary surrender of the members of GF Malayag. He said each of the 12 former NPA rebels can receive their E-CLIP (Enhanced Comprehensive Local Integration Program) benefits after some detailed debriefing.
“I hope that @Migs and his other members will do the same. For those who chose to remain a threat to our peaceful communities, we will not hesitate to exhaust all our capabilities to hunt and destroy you with all our might in order to protect our peace-loving citizens of Southern Bukidnon,” Fabic added. (CMO, 88IB, 4ID, PA/PIA Bukidnon)
Source: Philippines Information Agency (pia.gov.ph)
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