101 NPA rebels surrender in Agusan del Sur

Lured by the government’s "Balik Loob" amnesty program, 101 heavily armed New People’s Army (NPA) rebels have surrendered to the Philippine Army and Agusan del Sur Gov. Adolph Edward Plaza in Prosperidad, Agusan del Sur, according to reports reaching Fort Bonifacio in Makati City yesterday.

Major General Generoso Senga, newly installed chief of the AFP Southern Command, and Major General Samuel Bagsin, chief of the 4th Infantry Division, accompanied Plaza in welcoming the rebel returnees at the headquarters of the 402nd Infantry Brigade in Prosperidad town.

Plaza also led the rebels in pledging allegiance to the Constitution and the Republic.

The 101 rebel returnees were led by three NPA commanders identified as Herminio Acita, alias Commander Da Boy; Rodel Gole, alias Commander Laban; and a certain Commander Sumpangolon.

According to Col. Leopoldo Maligalig, 402nd Infantry Brigade chief, the rebels also turned over to authorities 53 assorted firearms, including M-16s, M-14s, caliber .30 garands, carbines, Springfield rifles and handguns.

Maligalig said the rebels surrendered in several batches since negotiations initiated by military and local government executives in Agusan del Sur started last February.

Majority of the rebel returnees were members of tribal people like the lumads, higaonons, manobos, banwaons and other indigeneous groups.

Plaza said the municipal governments of Esperanza, Bayugan, La Paz and San Luis have prepared a rehabilitation program for the rebel returnees.

In his speech, Plaza lauded the rebels for returning to the mainstream of society. Plaza said progress and development will not materialize in the province unless the problem of rebellion and insurrection are properly addressed by the government.

"We cannot develop Agusan del Sur, attract investors and tap our rich resources if violence and terrorism continue," he said.

Meanwhile, Maligalig dismissed the claims of the Tagdumahan, an organized Banwaon lumad group in San Luis town that the surrender of 20 civilians in Barangays Balit and Sta. Cecilia was merely a military ploy to boost the officers’ military careers.

Maj. Gen. Samuel Bagasin, commanding general of the 4th Infantry Division, said that a thorough validation of the former rebels by the Army’s intelligence unit showed that 40 percent of the rebel returnees are regular NPA combatants while the rest belonged to armed militias organized by the NPA in communities.

Bagasin said the military is now conducting a counter insurgency campaign, dubbed "Quiet Diamond," to encourage more rebels to return to the fold of law, especially in neighboring provinces.

In a related development, an alleged NPA leader operating in the provinces of Zambales and Pangasinan surrendered last week to police authorities.

Chief Superintendent Vidal Querol, Police Regional Office-3 Director, indentified the leader as Rogelio Edades, alia Ka Bobot.

He said Edades surrendered to authorities through the effort of the Sangguniang Bayan of Iba, Zambales. — With Ben Serrano and Ric Sapnu