NPA surrenders in Mountain Province

MANILA, Philippines — An alleged New People’s Army (NPA) leader has surrendered to the military in Mountain Province.

Jerome Calsiyao, alias Dennis, of Tinglayan, Kalinga, turned over two rifles to the Army’s 7th Infantry Division (ID) over the weekend.

Calsiyao was reportedly a squad leader of the NPA’s Komiteng Larangang Guerrilla-Abra-Mountain Province-Ilocos Sur (KLG-AMPIS).

The surrender was facilitated by personnel of the 1st Provincial Mobile Force Company and the Army’s 69th Infantry Battalion under Lt. Col. Marcelo Valdez Jr.

Maj. Gen. Andrew Costelo, 7th ID commander, welcomed the surrender, saying it was a positive development in the government’s efforts to put an end to the country’s insurgency problem.

“We welcome the decision of alias Dennis to surrender to authorities. There are benefits under the Enhanced Comprehensive Local Integration Program that he can avail himself of. Our call remains for those KLG-AMPIS members to surrender and give peace a chance,” Costelo said.

Meanwhile, in Central Luzon, two suspected rebels have also surrendered to authorities.

Brig. Gen. Matthew Baccay, Central Luzon police director, said the surrenderees were members of the Arcadio Peralta Command based in Nueva Ecija and Milisyang Bayan of the KLG Sierra Madre based in Baler, Aurora.

The surrenderees truned over their firearm to the police.