‘Brains’ of NPA in Davao Norte turns self in

MANILA, Philippines—The alleged brains of the communist insurgents’ activities in Davao del Norte surrendered to the military late last week, according to a report from the Army’s 10th Infantry Division on Saturday.

INQUIRER FILE PHOTO

In a statement, the 10th ID said Geneng Ambas, alias Chong, was a political officer of the Communist Party of the Philippines-New People’s Army (CPP-NPA).

Ambas “voluntarily surrendered” to soldiers of the 72nd Infantry Battalion under the 10th ID in Purok 6, Barangay Linao, San Isidro, Davao del Norte, at around 9 a.m. on Feb. 27.

“He is the brains of the NPA’s illegal activities in the municipalities of Davao del Norte,” the 10th ID’s statement said.

It added that village officials and relatives of Ambas arranged his surrender.

“Ambas confessed that he was a victim of the NPA’s deception until he realized that they were already into banditry and terrorism, which changed his mind (about the NPA) and (he) opted to surrender,” the statement read.

The military said there had been 230 NPA returnees since 2013, seven of them from the underground mass organization of the CPP/NPA/National Democratic Front (NDF) who voluntarily surrendered to the Armed Forces Eastern Mindanao Command, which has jurisdiction over eastern Mindanao.

Eastmincom commander Lt. Gen. Ricardo Rainier Cruz III said the number of rebel returnees in eastern Mindanao indicated “strong support for the soldiers in winning the peace,” and “that the spirit of Bayanihan within us is alive.”

Bayanihan is the counterinsurgency program of the military that enlists the help and support of civilian stakeholders and government agencies to take part in resolving the decades-long communist insurgency in the country.

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