DAVAO CITY - Three members of the New People's Army have surrendered to the military in the southern Philippines with security officials saying the number of communist rebels in the restive region has been largely diminished with the mass surrender of guerrillas the past years.
Lt. Gen. Greg Almerol, chief of the Eastern Mindanao Command, said the trio - Maximo Vibas Sr., a squad Leader, and his partner Jennifer Gagbo; and Nelboy Yubos - also yielded a Magpul rifle when they surrendered to the 29th Infantry Battalion in the village of Comagascas in Agusan del Norte's Cabadbaran City. They were all members of Sentro de Grabidad 16, Guerilla Front 16, Northeastern Mindanao Regional Committee.
Almerol said: "The former rebels also aided the 29th Infantry Battalion and intelligence units in recovering seven high-powered firearms, two magazines, and a generator set as they revealed the location of two arms caches in the village of Cuyago in Jabonga town also in Agusan del Norte, following an initial interview on the same day. The firearms consist of five M16 rifles, an M4 rifle, and an M203 Grenade Launcher."
He also expressed optimism in defeating rebel forces, saying "their depleting forces are diminishing further, and their four remaining guerilla units are already hanging by a thread."
"We are very optimistic to dismantle the remaining Guerilla Fronts in our area and declare the whole of Eastern Mindanao as insurgency-free this year. Despite the CTG's weakened status, we will not rest and will even intensify our focused military operations to run after their remnants," Almerol said. "This is our commitment. However, we cannot pursue this without the will of local leaders and the support of the people. Thus, we are asking for everyone's full support to ultimately achieve peace and prosperity this 2023."
Almerol also renewed his call for rebels to surrender peacefully and take advantage of the government's Enhanced Comprehensive Local Integration Program to end their suffering and begin living peacefully with their families.
The military said hundreds of rebels were either killed in clashes or had surrendered to the government the past years and are living peacefully with their families.
The rebel group has been fighting for many decades now in an effort to put up a Maoist state in the country. Its self-exiled founder, Jose Maria Sison, 83, died on December 17 in The Netherlands after a two-week confinement in a hospital. Despite his death, communist rebel leaders said they will continue to wage war in the largely Catholic country. (Mindanao Examiner)
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