By Jong Cadion
ZAMBOANGA CITY (February 3, 2018) - Exhausted
in the Army’s relentless pursuit operations against the CPP-NPA-Terrorists
(CNT), 8 insurgents finally decided to return to the folds of the law here on
Friday, (February 02), military official said.
Western Mindanao Command (WestMinCom) information officer Cpt Jo-Ann D.
Petinglay disclosed that Romeo
Dongco a.k.a. Taiwan, 29, was among the tribal members who seized a large swath
of coffee plantation owned by Consunji family in September 2017.
“Datu Victor told us to cut the coffee trees so that we can retake our
ancestral land. The land lease was extended without the tribe’s approval,” said
Dongco, a resident of Sumilil village here.
Cpt Petinglay said Dongco’s neighbor and fellow Yunit Milisya member,
Junjun Okom, 29, revealed that they were supported by the CNT’s Platoon Arabo
in reclaiming the land.
“Ka Yoyo deployed his armed followers behind us. We were able to push
the company guards away because we utilized spear-wielding children as our
frontliners,” said Okom, who was joined by two telatives, NasioDungco, 28, and
Binta Okom,50.
The other surrenderors are members of the defunct Platoon Cloudphone,
namely: Batoy Tayak, 49, Goong Tugi, 47, Justin Tugi, 21, and a child warrior
named Raffy Blah,16.
Meanwhile, three of the surrenderors have executed an affidavit linking
a local government official to the CNT, Cpt Petinglay added.
“He facilitated the organization of the lumads as NPA fighters purposely
to reclaim our ancestral lands. He welcomed Ka George and Ka Makmak in his
house to recruit us in May 2015,”said one former NPA rebel.
The recent surrender was facilitated by Bagumbayan Mayor, Hon. Jonalette
De Pedro and Police Chief Inspector Garyflor Marfil. More CNTs are expected to
surrender due to the ongoing pursuit operations of the Army and 4th Special
Action Battalion, SAF, PNP.
6ID Commander Maj Gen Arnel B. Dela Vega welcomes the former terrorists as
they return to the fold of law. He indicated that if they are eligible, they
may avail the CLIP of the government in order for them to start a new life and
live peacefully with their families.
From January 1 to February 2, 2018, a total of 34 communist terrorists
surrendered to the Joint Task Forces under the Western Mindanao Command.
Seven of them yielded in Maguindanao and 27 in Sultan Kudarat.
“We anticipate a surge in the number of communist terrorists who will
surrender in the coming days as we focus in our all-out offensives against the
insurgents in both Central and Western Mindanao,” said Lieutenant General
Carlito G. Galvez, Jr., Commander of the WestMinCom.
“This is the priority effort and thrust of our President and our Chief
of Staff to crush the CPP-NPA-Terrorists as soon as possible time. Therefore
all units are in full throttle in conducting focused military operations to
completely the CPP-NPA threat in Western Mindanao.”
In line with the efforts of the DND and the DILG, the local government
under Western Mindanao together with the DSWD also have programs intended for
those who surrendered.
“Reintegration packages are being prepared for surrenderees that which
include livelihood and capacity development trainings, all aimed at providing
surrenderrees and their families social equity and a fair chance to be
productive members of the society.”
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