Four members of communist rebel groups have voluntarily surrendered to government forces in Northern Samar, the Philippine Army reported Monday.
The Army’s 78th Infantry Battalion (IB) said the former rebels returned to the fold of the law on January 20 in Barangay Siljagon, Mapanas, marking what the military described as another step toward peace and stability in the province.
They were identified as alias Gabriel, who surrendered an M16 rifle, assorted ammunition, and other war materiel, and alias Reden, alias Mati, and alias Boy.
The four were former members of Squad 1, Sub-Regional Guerrilla Unit Laysan, under the Sub-Regional Committee Arctic of the Eastern Visayas Regional Party Committee.
Lt. Col. Francis Rosales, commanding officer of the 78th IB, said the surrender underscores the effectiveness of the government’s whole-of-nation approach in addressing insurgency.
“Their choice to leave the armed movement shows that more individuals are realizing that violence and deception offer no future. As they return to the fold of the law, they become partners in our shared pursuit of peace and development,” Rosales said.
The Army’s 8th Infantry (Stormtroopers) Division said the development reflects the continuing erosion of support for the armed movement and growing public confidence in government institutions.
The division added that sustained military operations, coupled with localized peace engagements, community support, and development initiatives, have contributed to weakening rebel influence in Northern Samar.
It also renewed its call on remaining armed group members to abandon violence and pursue peace, assuring assistance for those who choose to renounce armed struggle and reintegrate into society.
