GAPAN CITY – An alleged active member of the New People’s Army surrendered to combined military and police forcers here at about 11:10 p.m. on Monday, a belated police report showed.
Police said the surrenderee who reportedly was also a member of the “legal front” belonged to Platoon Uno, Kilusang Larangang Gerilya, Sierra Madre brought with him an explosive, a rifle grenade and an NPA manual.
Joint personnel from different police and military units facilitated the surrender, in line with the Duterte administration’s National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (NRF-LCAC), police added.
The former rebel, now undergoing documentation and custodial procedures is set to benefit from the government’s Enhanced Comprehensive Local Integration Program (E-CLIP).
This developed as the Army’s 7th Infantry (Kaugnay) Division (7ID) intensified its awareness campaign against communist terrorist groups by air dropping E-CLIP leaflets and conducting visitations along the coastal areas of San Luis town in Aurora on Sunday.
The Army troops took off at Dr. Juan C. Angara Airport, commonly known as Baler Airport, using two choppers of the Philippine Air Force to drop 500 leaflets designed to entice those active NPA rebels to abandon the armed struggle and be reunited with their families.
Lt. Col. Reandrew Rubio, commanding officer of the 91st Infantry Battalion (9IB), visited Barangay Dimanayat in San Luis to boost the morale of soldiers and check on the operational condition of troops assigned in the area.
He also visited the indigenous peoples’ community in the village to determine livelihood programs that can be implemented in the area, in collaboration with the concerned government agencies.
“The coastal area of San Luis can be a potential tourist destination in the near future due to its attractive and beautiful nature sites,” Rubio said.
He noted that the presence of government troops in the area is not just to protect the communities from the NPA threats but also to secure the government projects and facilities.
Brig. Gen. Andrew Costelo, commander of the 703rd Infantry (Agila) Brigade of the 7ID, commended the Sinagtala troopers for securing the far-flung communities that are vulnerable to NPA infiltration.
“I urge my men in the ground to continue doing good and closely work and collaborate with the different agencies and stakeholders towards lasting peace and development,” he said.
