Military: 6 rebels surrendered with their guns in Ilagan City, Nueva Vizcaya

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GAMU, Isabela — Six members of the communist New People’s Army (NPA) surrendered with three high-powered firearms in Ilagan City and Nueva Vizcaya on October 14 and 15, the military said in a belated report Saturday.

Major Jekyll Julian Dulawan, spokesperson of the Philippine Army’s 5th Infantry Division, identified the surrenderees by their aliases and former groups.

Among those identified were “Nethan,” 29 and a squad leader; “Gerber,” 26 and a squad vice leader; “Jazzel,” 27 and an S4, all of Squad Uno; “Rey,” 27 and a team leader of Squad Dos; and “Rod,” 51, of Giyang Pampulitika of Squad Tres.

All of the surrenderees were from the NPA’s Regional Sentro de Grabidad of the Regional Operations Command under Komiteng Rehiyon-Cagayan Valley.

They surrendered to the troops of 95th Infantry Battalion of the 502nd Infantry Brigade and the Ilagan City police when they decided to flee from the communist group.

The returnees gave up an Elisco M16 rifle, a Bushmaster M16 rifle, an M16, A1 rifle with one short magazine loaded with 15 rounds of live ammunition, and a cellphone.

The recovered firearms and other items were immediately turned over to authorities for proper disposition.

In Nueva Vizcaya, another alias “Rod”, medical officer of the West Front Committee-Komiteng Probinsya (KOMPROB) Cagayan had surrendered through the local police and National Intelligence Coordinating Agency (NICA).

The rebel surrenderees claimed that they are “already tired of running and hiding away from government forces” and that they have “no more place to hide” since the people have been reportedly tipping off their presence or location to the authorities.

JPV