MANILA, Philippines — More than 2,000 members and supporters of the New People’s Army nationwide surrendered to the government in the first two months of 2018, according to the Armed Forces of the Philippines.
There are 2,263 surrenderees as of March 4—607 of whom are regular members of the NPA, while the other 1,656 are categorized into Militia ng Bayan, Underground Mass Organization members and mass supporters.
AFP noted that an overwhelming proportion of surrenderees or 2,036 came from Davao region.
It noted that the massive surrenders of NPA members and their supporters were attributed to the combined military operations, intelligence efforts, civil-military operations and re-integration efforts of the AFP, Philippine National Police and local government units.
President Rodrigo Duterte on Wednesday commended the joint efforts of the AFP, PNP and LGUs for the increasing number of surrenderees from the NPA.
“At no other time are the NPAs surrendering with their firearms. It is taboo to them here and in Mindanao, everywhere, na pag nag-surrender ka tapos ibigay mo ‘yung armas mo sa sundalo o sa pulis, so talagang ha-hunting-in ka because that is anathema, a taboo. Talagang yayariin ka,” Duterte said during his meeting with local chief executives of Luzon.
He added: “So mabuti’t na lang, marami na ang nag-surrender and… also, I’d like to congratulate the Armed Forces and everybody, ‘yung mga mayors pati pulis, they are active in convincing people.”
AFP said it is expecting more rebels and supporters to surrender to authorities because of the supposed discontent brewing among the revolutionaries.
With more rebels yielding to the government, Duterte is optimistic that the AFP can quell the NPA soon.
“If they become decimated by the number of surrenderees, maybe the Armed Forces can finish them off next year at mawala na ‘to,” he said.
He vowed that they would be given housing and livelihood opportunities.
Last month, Duterte ordered soldiers to shoot female revolutionaries in the vagina. Human rights groups said that Duterte’s “vile comment” encourages state forces to commit sexual violence during armed conflict.
In December last year, the president proclaimed the Communist Party of the Philippines and its armed wing, NPA, as terrorist groups.