9 alleged NPA members yield, 4 others captured in Sultan Kudarat

GENERAL SANTOS CITY — Nine alleged members of communist New Peoples’ Army (NPA) voluntarily surrendered to authorities in Sultan Kudarat, police said Monday.

The rebels, along with their firearms and explosives, yielded to Chief Supt. Eliseo Tam Rasco, police director in the Soccsksargen region.

Their surrender came after four of their comrades were captured during joint police and military operations in Barangay Banali, Senator Ninoy Aquino, Sultan Kudarat.

“The capture of four NPAs came as the police intensified law enforcement operations in the mountains of Sultan Kudarat and South Cotabato,” Rasco told the INQUIRER.

“They realized it is better to lay down guns than fight a lost cause,” he added.

One of the surrenderers, Adog Dafo, 39, resident of Sitio Kilogeb, Barangay Midtungok, Senator Ninoy Aquino, admitted they were given false hopes by their leaders.

“They promised to help us legalize our ancestral lands,” Dafo told reporters.  “However, they also told us to shoot soldiers and civilians opposed to the NPAs in our villages.”

He refused to say how many encounters he had with government forces since joining the rebel movement years ago.

Rasco said the rebels made initial sent feelers for their desire to lay down guns and live normal lives to Senator Ninoy Aquino town police on March 23.

A certain “John” informed Sr. Insp. Jayson Baynosa, acting town police chief, that he and his eight other companions would like to surrender and turn over their firearms.

After the veracity of the information was confirmed and validated, Baynosa, elements of 33rd Infantry Battalion and Senator Ninoy Aquino Mayor Randy Ecija went to Sitio Blagkasi, Barangay Midtungok where the rebels emerged from the forest to meet them.

They all belonged to Platoon Cherry Mobile of Guerilla Front-73 Far South Mindanao Region.

The surrenderers were identified as Edwin Manguda Dalimbang, 26; Jay-ar Manguda, 21; Abdila Dalimbang, 22; Adog Dafo, 39; Dante Digan, 22; Inta Ugba, 38; Tensyong Dafo, 32; Palti Dafu, 36; and Rot Damasio, 39, all residents of Barangay Midtungok, Senator Ninoy Aquino town.

They all belonged to Dulangan Manobo indigenous peoples community.

They turned over three long firearms, a 12-gauge shot gun, and two machine pistols and anti-personnel mines.

Rasco said before their surrender, government forces arrested four NPAs following a brief firefight in the tri-boundaries of Senator Ninoy Aquino, Palimbang, both in Sultan Kudarat; and in Lake Sebu, South Cotabato.

Captured were Roger Denglas, 49; Gaudencio Sabarle, 40; Laneboy Dingla; and Rey Tungkili, 22, all residents of Barangay Baluan, Palimbang, Sultan Kudarat.

Seized from them were two M-16 rifles, a cal. 45 pistol, and two fragmentation grenades.

Rasco lauded the operating troops and the decision of communist rebels to take the peaceful path of returning to the folds of the law.

Rasco also said returnees will be enrolled to the Enhanced Comprehensive Local Integrated Program (E-CLIP) to help them rebuild their lives and their families. /kga