A total of 113 members and supporters of the Communist Party of Philippines – New People’s Army have voluntarily surrendered to the Police Regional Office MIMAROPA led by Police Brigadier General Sidney Sultan Hernia since January this year.
“This is a direct outcome of the PNP’s relentless counter-insurgency campaign in active partnership with the Armed Forces of the Philippines, LGUs, and other government agencies through the National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (NTF-ELCAC)”, PBGen Hernia said.
The latest CTG member who cut his ties with the NPA was “Ka Lawrence, 38, who hails from Sablayan, Occidental Mindoro who voluntarily surrendered to the Occidental Mindoro Police Provincial Office 2nd Provincial Mobile Force Company, led by Police Lieutenant Colonel Arnold M Calingasan, in Barangay Payompon, Mamburao town on Wednesday, September 8, at around 10:30 AM.
“Ka Lawrence”, who was a former member of Platoon GMT, SRMA-4D (ISLACOM MINDORO) that operate in the areas of Sta Cruz, Mamburao, Abra De Ilog, and Paluan, all in Occidental Mindoro, also turned over one (1) Smith and Wesson Cal .38 Revolver pistol with two (2) live ammunition and one (1) hand grenade.
The former member of the terrorist group is currently undergoing custodial debriefing at 2nd PMFC, Occidental Mindoro PPO prior enrollment to the government’s Enhanced Comprehensive Local Integration Program (E-CLIP) in order to receive livelihood assistance and incentives for his surrendered firearms.
Statistics revealed that 44 firearms were surrendered and recovered from CTG personalities since January this year.
“I commend the efforts of all police units, Armed Forces in the region, local government units and other government agencies in this campaign. This is a concrete evidence that the government’s whole-of-nation approach under the NTF-ELCAC towards the end of the decades-long local communist terrorism in the country in indeed effective and cures the root problem of insurgency”, PBGen Hernia stressed.
“May the continuing success of this campaign ripple through and finally convince the remaining CTG members to finally surrender and return to the folds of the law and become productive citizens of country. Hindi armas ang solusyon sa problema kundi ang kapayapaan at pagkakaisa”, PBGen added.
