NPA rebels sending surrender feelers, says Northern Mindanao top cop

NPA rebels. File Photo

CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY—More New People’s Army (NPA) rebels in Northern Mindanao were expected to yield as more than a dozen persons affiliated with the armed revolutionary group have surrendered recently to the police.

After the surrender on Friday of 14 members of the NPA’s Militia ng Bayan, the Police Regional Office-10 (PRO-10) said they expected other insurgents to yield.

“There are feelers. We want to pursue these feelers as we see these as an opportunity. So, if there is a chance to accommodate them, we can realign our effort, instead of fighting, we can exert our effort on peace, livelihood, and development,” said Brigadier General Benjamin Acorda Jr., PRO-10 director.

Those who surrendered last week were identified by their aliases: Marvin, Jessie, Reborn, Solong, Alysa, Dina, Gabriel, Chris, Nonon, Nanay, Dona, Dayang, Kulot, and Aysa.

Acorda said the surrenderers belonged to the NPA’s North-Central Mindanao Regional Committee operating in eastern and western Bukidnon, particularly Malaybalay City, Maramag, Quezon, and Valencia City.

“They are non-combatants and, accordingly, most of them were recruited at a young age,” he said.

Acorda said PRO-10 would intensify its campaign to end the local insurgency.

Manuel Ordoña, National Intelligence Coordinating Agency regional director, said: “This accomplishment was a result of collaborative efforts of all members of the clusters of the Regional Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict or RTF-ELCAC.”

Charmaine Tadlas of the Department of Social Welfare and Development-10 said they would assist the surrenderers to enrol in the Pantawid Pamilya Pilipino Program, where their children could benefit from health and educational grants, as well as financial, educational, and medical assistance, and livelihood.

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