SAN MIGUEL, Surigao del Sur – Two (2) New People’s Army (NPA) minors, members of Squad 3, FGF8, Sub-Regional Sentro De Grabidad, Southland and Squad 2, Platoon 2, Guerilla Front 30, both of North Eastern Mindanao Regional Committee surrendered with firearms at 75th Infantry “Marauder” Battalion on December 03 and 04.
The surrenderees were identified as Danica Tawide Y Tejero, resident of Purok 13, Brgy Bolhoon, San Miguel, Surigao del Sur, seventeen (17) years old and Gang-gang Mabandas Y Montenegro of Sitio Lamesa, Brgy Carromata, San Miguel, Surigao del Sur, sixteen (16) years old.
Danica was a student of Tribal Filipino Program in Surigao del Sur (TRIFPSS) and Alternative Learning Center for Agricultural and Livelihood Development (ALCADEV), a CPP-NPA-NDF affiliated school and now are closed by the decree of the RTF-ELCAC Technical Working Group in the province of SurSur. Danica was only 16 and a student of the said CPP-NPA-NDF affiliated school when she was recruited and joined the armed group last September 2020. Danica went on “lie low” status when she was wounded during the encounter transpired last December 2020 with the 3rd Special Forces Battalion, Philippine Army, as she sustained wound in her upper left arm that fractured her bones during the encounter.
“Nagpasalamat ko sa mga sundalo kay ila akong gitabangan karon. Dili diay tinuod na berdugo ang mga sundalo. Nagsurrender ko kay gusto nako malimpyo ang akoang pangalan ug dili nako mahadlok na magsigeg tago-tago.” Danica stated, as she wanted to go back to the mainstream and live peacefully.
While Gang-gang was only 14 when she was recruited and deceived to join the armed group by the CTG. She is a grade 2 student and left her family to find job but ended up recruited by the CTG’s last March 2020. Due to exhaustion, Danica decided to surrender to 75IB.
Undeniably, both are minors when they were recruited by the CTG. An act disrespected the Human Rights and violated the International Humanitarian Law.
Lieutenant Colonel Jelson D Buyuccan, Commanding Officer of 75IB said. “Tutulungan namin itong sina Danica at Gang-gang na mamuhay ng normal at payapa kasama ang kanilang mga pamilya. Kasama sa kanilang boluntaryo na pagsuko ay atin silang i-enrol sa Enhanced Comprehensive Local Integration Program (E-CLIP) na programa ng gobyerno para sa ating mga kasamahan na nagbalik-loob. Sa mga kasamahan natin na nasa kabundokan pa, huwag na kayong mag-atubili na bumaba at isuko ang inyong armas. Ang 75IB ay handa kayong gabayan para sa inyong ikabubuti at para na din sa ikauunlad ng ating bayan at probinsiya.” Lt. Col. Buyuccan ended.
Together with the Local Government Units (LGUs) and other stakeholders, the 75IB will always support the government’s endeavor in eradicating the insurgency through the Whole-Of-Nation Approach or the Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (TF-ELCAC).
