CLAVERIA, MISAMIS ORIENTAL – Two rebels of the New People’s Army (NPA) surrendered and revealed arms cache to the joint forces of the 58th Infantry “Dimalulupig” Battalion (58IB) and the 1001st MC, RMFB at Brgy Dampil, Lagonglong, Misamis Oriental, June 14, 2021.
It can be recalled that last June 07 an encounter between the 58IB troops and NPA transpired in the hinterlands of Barangay Mimbuli, Salay which resulted in the death of alias Dariel a member of Platoon Cherry Mobile, Sub-Regional Committee 1(SRC1), North Central Mindanao Regional Command (NCMRC).
Following the encounter, an information was disclosed from concerned civilians that the members of the NPAs dispersed to small groups and would attempt to consolidate and regroup. Acting upon the information, a Joint AFP-PNP pursuit operation was conducted in the same municipality that led to the surrender of the two.
The surrenderers were identified as alias Jukol, Vice Commander and alias Esay, Medic of Platoon Cherry Mobile, SRC1, NCMRC. According to them, they were present during the recent encounter at Barangay Mimbuli, Salay, where they realized how their lives were in jeopardy and that they were fighting for a losing cause, forcing them to surrender.
Jukol and Esay, in good faith, divulged the locations of firearms cache at two different locations in the hinterlands of Barangay Saray of the same municipality. They buried their issued firearms after the encounter for fear of being tracked down by pursuing elements of the Army’s 58th Infantry Battalion. The troops’ seized items include five high-powered firearms composed of two M16 rifles, one AK47, and two .30 cal carbine rifles.
Meanwhile, Lieutenant Colonel Ricky L Canatoy, Commanding Officer of 58IB said, “The number of communist terrorist groups is shrinking, and they are under pressure from the government to surrender due to the loss of their forces and mass bases. Furthermore, their surrender demonstrates that they are fed up with the NPA’s erroneous ideology. This also implies that their trust and support are now shifted from the NPA to the government. Rest assured that the Army will not stop until the last member of armed group member surrenders and receives benefits under the Enhanced Comprehensive and Local Integration Program (ECLIP).”
Lt. Col Canatoy concluded, “I hope that the different stakeholders will continue their commitment to implement the ECLIP that will motivate the remaining members of the NPA to lay down their arms and return to the folds of the law.”
