TWO communist New People's Army (NPA) terrorists have surrendered to government authorities in the province of Sultan Kudarat, military officials announced Friday, August 6, 2021.

Lieutenant General Corleto Vinluan, Jr., commander of the Western Mindanao Command (WestMinCom), said the two, identified as a certain Ka Jeric, 25, and Ka Boy, 25, surrendered around 3 p.m. Thursday, August 5, in Isulan, Sultan Kudarat province.

Brigadier General Roy Galido, 601st Infantry Brigade commander, said the successful surrender of the two was facilitated by the 7th Infantry Battalion led by Lieutenant Colonel Romel Valencia and the Sultan Kudarat Provincial Police Office headed by Police Colonel Noel Kinazo.

They yielded one M-14 rifle and one Garand rifle, according to Galido.

Valencia said Ka Jeric is the commander of the Platoon West, Sub-Regional Committee Musa of the Far South Mindanao Region (FSMR) while Ka Boy is a member of Platoon Myphone, SRC Daguma, FSMR.

During their initial debriefing, the two disclosed that they turned in due to the intense pressure of focused military operations mounted against them and the hardships they experience evading government forces.

Major General Juvymax Uy, Joint Task Force (JTF)-Central commander, said the two former rebels will be enrolled in the reintegration program of the government after their custodial debriefing.

Since January, 76 NPA members surrendered to the troops of the JTF-Central, 67 of whom are regular members and nine are supporters.

"Our lethal and non-lethal efforts are paying off as more communist terrorists are surrendering successively, thus, we will be more aggressive in our stance against the remaining terrorists so that they will opt to end their armed struggle and return into mainstream society," Vinluan said.

Vinluan emphasized that the success of the operations is not solely the military's effort but also of the Philippine National Police, the local government, and the community.
(News & photo courtesy of SunStar Zamboanga)