Following sustained and focused military pressure, three remaining members of the communist New People’s Army (NPA) recently surrendered to the 402nd Infantry (Stingers) Brigade of the 4th Infantry (Diamond) Division.Following sustained and focused military pressure, three remaining members of the communist New People’s Army (NPA) recently surrendered to the 402nd Infantry (Stingers) Brigade of the 4th Infantry (Diamond) Division.
FOLLOWING sustained and focused military pressure, three remaining members of the communist New People’s Army (NPA) recently surrendered to the 402nd Infantry (Stingers) Brigade of the 4th Infantry (Diamond) Division.
The surrenders are remnants of the NPA’s Sub-Regional Committee 1 (SRC1) of the North Central Mindanao Regional Committee (NCMRC) and come on the heels of the recent yielding of their Secretary, alias Shaggy/Poldo.
The Army credited the development to the continuous presence and operational pressure exerted by government forces through the joint efforts of the 58th, 23rd, and 28th Infantry Battalions.
The surrenderees also turned over one (1) AR18 rifle, along with a magazine loaded with 17 rounds of ammunition.
Initial custodial debriefing revealed that one of the surrenderees, identified as alias Aklas/Eti, was previously considered a potential successor within the NPA unit due to his capabilities. All three are now undergoing further debriefing and documentation at a designated facility in Butuan City.
Brigadier General Adolfo B. Espuelas Jr., commander of the 402nd Infantry Brigade, emphasized that the series of surrenders underscored the steady decline in the NPA’s strength and morale.
“Their decision to abandon the armed struggle is a direct result of the sustained pressure from focused military operations and the 4ID’s consistent engagement with local communities,” Espuelas Jr. stated, reiterating the commitment to peace and security.
Meanwhile, 4th Infantry (Diamond) Division commander, Major General Michele B. Anayron Jr., lauded the Brigade’s accomplishment.
He highlighted that the surrenders demonstrated the increasing trust of former rebels in the government’s peace programs.
Major General Anayron Jr. reaffirmed the division’s commitment to supporting those who choose to return to the fold of the law, stressing that the Army will continue to create conditions conducive to peace, development, and lasting stability in the region.
