By Glazyl Y. Masculino
BACOLOD City – Twenty-five alleged members of the weakened Central Negros 2 (CN2), Komiteng Rehiyon-Negros, Cebu, Bohol, Siquijor (KR-NCBS) of the New People’s Army (NPA) in Negros Island surrendered to the authorities last Friday.
Of the figure, 20 were former regular members, and five were former members of the Yunit Militia.
The rebel returnees took their oath of allegiance to the government in a ceremony held in Himamaylan City, Negros Occidental, where they also turned over eight firearms, including six shotguns, two .38 caliber revolvers, two shotgun magazines, and nine rounds of ammunition.
With this development, Brigadier General Orlando Edralin, commander of the Army’s 303rd Infantry Brigade (IBde), is hopeful that more will surrender in the interest of promoting peace and development.
In his message, Edralin said that the cooperation of the people has played a significant role in enlightening NPA rebels to choose the path of peace.
This integration represents a collective effort to foster unity, understanding, and inclusivity within our community, he added.
He commended the rebel returnees for their courage and determination to return to the folds of the law.
Major General Marion Sison, commander of the 3rd Infantry Division (ID), said the reintegration of these former rebels clearly manifests that the NPA can no longer sustain its organization and is teetering on the brink of collapse.
The former rebels are currently in the custody of the 94th Infantry Battalion (IB), wherein they will undergo profiling, assessment, and custodial debriefing in order for them to officially avail of the Enhanced Comprehensive Local Integration Program (E-CLIP) of the provincial government.
