Philippine Army units facilitated the surrender of six members of a communist group in the Caraga Region.
According to Captain Jonel Castillo, the Civil-Military Operations Officer of the 9th Infantry Division, four members of the Communist Terrorist Group (CTG) surrendered to the 29th Infantry Battalion (29IB) in Cabadbaran City, Agusan del Norte, along with nine high-powered firearms captured through an arms cache.
The individuals who surrendered included Elvine Dayong, alias Mundoy, and his wife, Myrine Rivas, alias Kia; Pedro Flores Jr., alias Ployploy; and Zenaida Lindio, alias Nayan.
After surrendering to Lieutenant Colonel Cresencio Gargar, the Commanding Officer of 29IB, they disclosed the location of a hidden arms cache that consisted of nine firearms: seven AK-47 rifles, one M203 grenade launcher, and one M16 rifle, along with several magazines and ammunition.
The cache was located and retrieved by joint forces from 29IB and 75IB in the hinterlands of Sitio Kabulohan, Barangay Buhisan, San Agustin, Surigao del Sur.
Additionally, two other CTG members surrendered to the 30th Infantry Battalion (30IB) in Surigao del Norte. Ronald Rivas, alias Doc, and Daday Enano, alias Jelia, yielded to Lieutenant Colonel Albert Batingga, the Commanding Officer of 30IB.
The surrendered CTG members were affiliated with the Regional Sentro de Grabidad (RSDG) and Sub-Region Sentro de Grabidad-Westland (SRSDG-WL), both under the Northeastern Mindanao Regional Committee (NEMRC).
They will be enrolled in and avail themselves of benefits under the government’s Enhanced Comprehensive Local Integration Program (ECLIP).
“The successful surrender is a testament to the effective collaboration of the Battalions and stakeholders through the Local Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (LTF-ELCAC),” Castillo stated.
Brigadier General Arsenio Sadural, Commander of the 901st Brigade, commended both the 29th and 30th Infantry Battalions and their stakeholders for their tireless efforts that led to this success.
He also expressed gratitude for the support from local government units, emphasizing that without them, these surrenders would not have been possible.
The 901st Brigade encourages all remaining active CTG members to seize this opportunity to surrender and start anew, promising a safe and peaceful path toward reintegration into society.
