200 NPA rebels surrender

Koronadal City — More than 200 armed followers of the New People’s Army (NPA), the armed wing of the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP), surrendered to authorities in the remote part of Barangay Kinam, Malapatan, Sarangani.

Senior Superintendent Efren Valeriano, police director of the Sarangani Police Office, told The STAR that the rebels yielded their firearms to Sarangani Gov. Miguel Rene Dominguez and Brig. Gen. Napoleon Malana, assistant division commander of the 6th Infantry Division (ID) based in Awang, Datu Odin Sinsuat, Maguindanao last Saturday at the plaza of Barangay Kinam.

Dominguez and Malana received the rebels and their firearmas while other military, provincial and municipal officials looked on.

The rebels reportedly surrendered 54 high-powered firearms and 47 improvised short and long firearms.

Valeriano said both Dominguez and Malana have praised the "courage" of the rebels to turn their backs on the CPP-NPA and their "sincerity" to go back to the fold of law when they recited the "oath of allegiance" of the Philippine Republic and burned the effigy of the CPP-NPA-NDF in front of the government and military officials who witnessed their surrender.

He said the rebels also pledged that they will defend Barangay Kinam against communist insurgents who will "indoctrinate" and encourage residents to join the armed movement.

Valeriano said Dominguez was accompanied by provincial board members Abdon Lasad, Art Lawa and Malapatan Mayor Alfonso Singcoy in going to Barangay Kinam, which is more than three hours drive from Alabel, the capital town of Sarangani.

Col. Alredo Cayton of the 601st Brigade said the rebels’ surrender was a result of their intensified efforts in neutralizing the mass base of the NPA command in Malapatan town, particularly in Barangay Kinam.

The barangay has a population of more than 12,000, majority of whom were B’laan natives scattered in 44 puroks.

According to Cayton, the military also raided last month the regional base camp of the NPA Far South Mindanao Region, located in the remote part of Sitio Amlok, some 20 kilometers away from the Kinam proper.