The military on Tuesday said the rank and file of the New People’s Army continued to dwindle following the surrender of 25 cadres in Capiz province last week, bringing to 608 the number of its members and followers that have yielded to the government during the first two months this year.
Capt. Eduardo Precioso Jr., Public Affairs chief of the Philippine Army’s 3rd Infantry Division, said the 25 NPA members operating in Negros Occidental surrendered last Thursday, bringing their assorted firearms to the 79th Infantry Battalion in Sagay City.
It was a a big blow to the underground Communist Party of the Philippines organization, Precioso said.
“The surrender of 25 communist terrorists will surely weaken the strength and armed capability of the CPP-NPA-Terrorist [CNT] in Negros Island,” said Major Gen. Dinoh Dolina, commander of the 3rd ID.
“It is also a strong indication of continued downfall of the communist terrorist group. And we are expecting the demise of the group very soon,” Dolina added.
The NPA surrenderers turned over three M16 rifles; one M14 rifle; four Garand rifles; 12 caliber .45 pistols, one caliber .22 rifle with scope, four gauge shotguns, and two 9mm Uzis.
Prior to the surrender of the cadres, an NPA member, Jobert Beunaflor alias “Toto” who yielded to the military, led soldiers in uncovering a cache of firearms at a supposed hideout in Tulunan, Cotabato. It yielded one M60 machine gun; one Garand rifle; an M16 rifle; and four barrels of M14 rifles. F
With the surrender of the communists, Dolina is also expecting snowball of surrenderers in Western Visayas.
“It will create drastic demoralization among the remaining members of the communist terrorist group that will certainly encourage them to surrender,” he said. Armed Forces of the Philippines Public Affairs Office head Col. Noel Detoyato said the surrender of the 25 NPA fighters brought the 2019 total to 608 communist members and supporters—107 regular armed members, 137 Milisyang Bayan, and 364 mass supporters.
Detoyato said these former CNTs will have a holistic package of benefits that include livelihood assistance, medical assistance, education, housing, and legal assistance.
“We hope that more members of this group realize that they are fighting for a lost cause, and we call on those remaining members to avail of the Enhanced-Comprehensive Local Integration Program [E-CLIP] and come back to their families to live a free and peaceful life away from violence,” he said.
“These actions manifest the sincerity and the desire of the government to eradicate communist terrorism through peaceful means,” Detoyato added.
The AFP hopes to receive more rebels who want to return to the fold of the law “rather than the casualties we record daily in the bloody battlefield,” he said.