New People’s Army. INQUIRER FILE PHOTO
MANILA, Philippines—Two New People’s Army rebels surrendered on Monday to the Armed Forces of the Philippines in Mati City, Davao Oriental.
Lieutenant Colonel Ramon Zagala, AFP Public Affairs Office Chief, said that one of the rebels who surrendered to the military is an official of the NPA.
Joseph Alpas, also known as “Roland” is the team leader of Abe Squad 4 of the NPA’s Pulang Bagani 4 faction.
Alpas, together with his subordinate Rogelio Gapan aka “Ganie,” surrendered to Mati City Vice Mayor Glenda Rabat Gayta, Colonel Benjamin R. Madrigal Jr., 701st Brigade Commander, and Police Senior Superintendent Jose C. Carumba bringing along high-powered firearms.
“The increasing number of NPAs surrendering to the government fold is attributed to the group’s weakened leadership following the arrest of Benito and Wilma Tiamzon last March,” Zagala said.
Alpas and Gapan also surrendered one M14 rifle and an M4 rifle with 10 magazines and an anti-personnel landmine.
Zagala said that the two are already in the custody of the Department of Social Welfare and Development through the Davao Oriental Halfway House which is a custodial house for former rebels.
The surrendered firearms were put in the storage of the 701st Brigade, and would be then processed for the government’s Gun for Peace program.
“The AFP reiterates its call to the NPAs who continue to engage in criminal activities to surrender and totally abandon the armed struggle,” Zagala said. “In this way, more innocent civilians will be spared from their crimes which hamper growth and development in our country.”
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