CAMP EVANGELISTA, Cagayan de Oro City – Due to the lack of leadership and the exhaustion from series of focused military operations, seven (7) demoralized members of the communist terrorist group (CTG) surrendered, bringing along five (5) high-powered firearms, to the troops of the 36th Infantry Battalion based in Brgy. Puyat, Carmen, Surigao del Sur on December 14, 2023.
Said surrenderees composed of six (6) regular CPP NPA Terrorists (CNTs) and one (1) Milisya ng Bayan were formerly connected to the Platoon 1 of the Weakened Guerilla Front 30 and the augmented vertical elements from SRSDG Westland with criminal activities in the municipalities of Lanuza, Cortes, Tago, Tandag City and San Miguel, all of Surigao del Sur.
They were identified as Jomar Opdina, Analyn Penig, Risky Perez Acevedo, Daniel Bihon Plaza, Jericho Cabadonga, Michael Plaza, and Gesriel Alimbuyong. They also yielded one (1) AR15 Rifle, one (1) Caliber 30 Garand Rifle, one (1) M14 Rifle, and two (2) AK47 Rifles.
36IB Commanding Officer Lieutenant Colonel Vincent Viray said the decision of the surrenderees to abandon the communist terrorism came after experiencing exhaustion and hunger due to relentless operations of government troops’ and the lack of support from communities.
Meanwhile, 4ID Commander Major General Jose Maria R. Cuerpo II once again lauded the 36IB and 901st Brigade for continuously reaching out and provide remaining CTG members an opportunity to return to the path of peace. He also commended various stakeholders for rallying behind the army and in supporting the government’s call for peace which demonstrated the positive impact of the whole of nation approach in ending local communist armed conflict.
“The voluntary surrender of these CTG members only displays the effectiveness of collaborative counter-insurgency initiatives and the unwavering commitment to finally dismantle all networks of the few remaining and weakened CTG units in Caraga and Northern Mindanao. Rest assured that the Diamond troopers will continue to help our long-lost brothers and sisters in bringing them back to the mainstream society and live a normal life together with their families, especially that we are celebrating the Christmas season. Your decision to heed to our call is the best Christmas gift you could give to your families. We further encourage the remaining CTG members to follow the footsteps of their former comrades who surrendered and have been enjoying the benefits under the Enhanced Comprehensive Local Integration Program (ECLIP) of the government,” he added.
