Troops from the Army’s 8th Infantry “Stormtroopers” Division successfully facilitated the surrender of two Communist-Terrorist Group (CTG) leaders and seized an arms cache in the hinterlands of Barangay San Gabriel, Borongan City, Eastern Samar, on Sunday.
The arms cache includes one M60 Light Machine Gun, one K3 Squad Automatic Weapon (SAW), two AK-47 rifles, four M16 rifles, one M14 rifle, and one M4 rifle.
In addition to these weapons, troops seized hundreds of rounds of ammunition, several magazines, and personal belongings.
The identities of the leaders are currently being withheld.
Brig. Gen. Noel Vestuir, the 802Bde Commander, lauded the troops for their professionalism and successful negotiation that led to the surrender of these individuals.
“Two lives were saved from the grip of a dead ideology. It’s only a matter of time before all members of SRC Sesame will be neutralized. The success of this operation is credited to the tireless efforts of the 802Bde in conducting comprehensive debriefings with former rebels and implementing programs such as the E-FReE Families program, Wish Upon a Star, and Project APOY,” Brig. Gen. Vestuir said.
The Enhanced Friends Rescued Engagement through Families (E-FReE) program and Wish Upon a Star are initiatives of the Army aimed at empowering the families of active New People’s Army (NPA) members to encourage their loved ones to surrender and seek assistance from the military and local government.
Maj. Gen. Adonis Ariel Orio, Commander of 8ID, reiterated his call to remaining CTG members, urging them to give peace a chance and take advantage of the Enhanced Comprehensive Local Integration Program (E-CLIP) and the National Amnesty Program.
“These successes result from the concerted efforts of our ground troops, supported by our Local Chief Executives and an awakened citizenry. Our collaborative efforts aim to finally put an end to the decades-long insurgency problem here in Eastern Visayas. Our strategies are becoming more effective and responsive to the needs and aspirations of the people,” Maj. Gen. Orio added.
