80 NPA rebels surrender to gov’t in Bukidnon

MANILA, Philippines—Eighty members of the New People’s Army “voluntarily surrendered” to the 8th Infantry Battalion of the Philippine Army in Bukidnon Monday, a military spokesman said Tuesday.

Public affairs chief Colonel Arnulfo Marcelo Burgos said that the NPA members who surrendered were led by Benjamin Salusad, a.k.a. Ka Nonong, Loloy and Ben, a former commanding officer of Guerrilla Front 6 of the NPA’s Northern Central Mindanao Regional Command.

Ka Nonong operated in the municipality of San Fernando in Bukidnon, Burgos said.

Burgos said that of the 80 members, 31 were full-time members, while 49 were from Militia ng Bayan. Ten of the surrenderees were women.

The rebels belong to the Tiaggwahanon, Matigsalog and Manobo tribes of San Fernando, he said.

Burgos added that most of the fulltime members served the NPA for 10 years, while the others served for five months under Militia ng Bayan.

Tribal datus of San Fernando, led by Datu Okit Canlas, initiated the negotiations, Burgos added.

The disrespect for and discrimination against indigenous people by the communists were one of the factors of their surrender, Burgos said.

Meanwhile, Major Eugenio Osias, spokesman of the 4th Infantry Division, said confiscated firearms included seven M16A1 rifles, five M653 (AR18) armalite, one M14, three 30-cal. Garand rifles, two 30-cal. browning automatic rifles, six carbines, and one Thompson submachine gun. They also surrendered one claymore mine with 20 meters electric wire, 15 M16 magazine assemblies, one M14 magazine assembly, seven clips for Garand rifle, six Carbine magazine assemblies, one Thompson magazine assembly, and assorted ammunitions.

Meanwhile, the surrenderees were scheduled to be presented to Bukidnon local officials and will also receive financial and livelihood assistance from the province of Bukidnon through its local integration program while other benefits and privileges will still be determined by the Joint Validation and Authentication Committee, Osias said