BUENAVISTA, Agusan del Norte – Remnants of the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) New People’s Army (NPA) Terrorist (CNT) voluntarily surrendered to the troops of the 23rd Infantry (Masigasig) Battalion on Sunday, February 28, 2021.
Four (4) NPA regular members of Guerilla Front (GF) F4A and Sub-Regional Sentro De Grabidad SAGAY, Sub-Regional Committee 3, both of North Central Mindanao Regional Committee (NCMRC) who are all tucked-in with HQF NEO, NCMRC together with three (3) Milisya ng Bayan (MB) members voluntarily surrendered to LTC JULIUS CESAR C PAULO GSC (INF) PA, Commanding Officer, 23IB at the unit’s headquarters in Jamboree Site, Purok 6, Brgy Alubihid, Buenavista, Agusan del Norte.
They also surrendered six (6) firearms, one (1) hand grenade and two (2) blasting caps.
The NPA regulars and MB members who surrendered were identified as @LONGLONG, 20 years old, Team Leader ofABE, SQD 1, SDG CAOCAO, GF4A and a former member of SRSDG SAGAY, SRC3, NCMRC; @MINE, 18 years old, member of Team BAKING, SQD 2, SDG CAOCAO, GF4A and a former member of SRSDG SAGAY, SRC3, NCMRC bringing along with him one (1) Cal .45 pistol; @JACK/@BRENDO, 32 years old, a member of SQD 2, SDG CAOCAO, GF4A, NCMRC; @ROVERT/ @ROGUE 26 years old, single, a Member TM BAKING, SQD 1, SDG CAOCAO, GF4A, NCMRC bringing along with him one (1) Cal .45 pistol and one (1) Cal .357 revolver; @WILLY, 38 years old, a Milisya ng Bayan from Sitio Salvacion, Barangay Manila de Bugabos, Butuan City under SDG CAOCAO, GF4A, NCMRC bringing along with him one (1) M16A1 rifle, one (1) magazine, ten (10) live ammunition; @JONIE 26 years old, also a Milisya ng Bayan of Sitio Salvacion, Barangay Manila de Bugabos, Butuan City under SDG CAOCAO, GF4A, NCMRC bringing along with him one (1) Cal .45 pistol and five (5) live ammunition; and, @DALAS, 18 years old Milisya ng Bayan of KM 12 from Sitio Hinandayan, Barangay Camagong, Nasipit, Agusan del Norte under the SYP KINGDOM, GF4A, NCMRC bringing along with him one (1) Cal .22 revolver, one (1) hand grenade, and two (2) blasting caps.
The above-mentioned regular members of the remnants of GF-4A came from the group of 3rd Platoon, HQF NEO under @PAG-ASA and @TAZAR in Pantaron Range in Barangay Sinakungan, Esperanza, Agusan del Sur. Upon their surrender, they revealed that there was infighting among the group because of the unfair treatment since @TAZAR was prioritizing his members more than the members of the remnants of GF-4A.
Alias Dalas, one of the surrenderees testified that he and his comrades decided to surrender to the 23IB due to the relentless operations at Pantaron Range and the misunderstanding and infighting among the group members.
“Naka desisyon gyod me nga mo balik na sa sabakan sa balaod tungod kay dili patas ang pag trato sa among kadagkuan sa amo nga mga myembro ug dili name maka sabot sa pagdala sa amo labi na usab kay ga away-away na usab me sa sulod sa kalihukan ug basin mag unay pame kadugayan. Gawas pa niana, gikapoy na me kay dili lalim ang among sitwasyon sa sulod, grabe ang kagutom kay mag lisod nami ug pangita ug kakuhaan ug pagkaon labi na kay ang kasundaluhan kanunay gapahigayon ug combat operation sa Pantaron Range. Wala nami tarongkaon, tulog ug pahuway ug grabe na kakapoy. Wala na me makasiguro sa among seguridad sa sulod sa kalihukan ug protektahan ba me sa among kauban sa gagukod sa amo nga kasundaluhan. Dugay na usab meng wala na usab me maka bisita sa among pamilya. Nakita usab namo nga walay mahatag nga kaayuhan ang komonistang grupo sa ilang mga myembro ug wala nay rason nga magpabilin pa meng mag serbisyo sa ila,” Dalas said.
Lt. Col. Paulo welcomed the surrender and cited their decision to listen to the call of the government to renew their lives by going back to their families and communities.
“I am glad that these CNT remnants and MBs already realized that they were just being manipulated by the senseless CNT group. In reality, the security of CNT members is always at risk and uncertain given that their leaders cannot defend them especially during armed encounters with government troopers,” Paulo said.
He emphasized that the CNT leaders do not have sympathies with their members while infightings and factions are happening among their ranks.
“The CNT leaders don’t have sympathy for their members even from the start. Now that the group is having a faction inside, much more they cannot give security and assurance to their members. They cannot be trusted and they only keep on feeding their members with false promises just to let them stay inside the armed movement. They are only good to their members if they can get something from them, but when they are already useless, they will be dumped.,” Paulo said.
Paulo also assured them of support from the government through the Enhanced Comprehensive Local Integration Program (E-CLIP) and the support of the different line agencies and the local government units (LGUs).
