FILE PHOTO
GAMU, Isabela 鈥� Six members of the communist New People鈥檚 Army (NPA) surrendered with three high-powered firearms in Ilagan City and Nueva Vizcaya on October 14 and 15, the military said in a belated report Saturday.
Major Jekyll Julian Dulawan, spokesperson of the Philippine Army鈥檚 5th Infantry Division, identified the surrenderees by their aliases and former groups.
Among those identified were 鈥淣ethan,鈥� 29 and a squad leader; 鈥淕erber,鈥� 26 and a squad vice leader; 鈥淛azzel,鈥� 27 and an S4, all of Squad Uno; 鈥淩ey,鈥� 27 and a team leader of Squad Dos; and 鈥淩od,鈥� 51, of Giyang Pampulitika of Squad Tres.
All of the surrenderees were from the NPA鈥檚 Regional Sentro de Grabidad of the Regional Operations Command under Komiteng Rehiyon-Cagayan Valley.
They surrendered to the troops of 95th Infantry Battalion of the 502nd Infantry Brigade and the Ilagan City police when they decided to flee from the communist group.
The returnees gave up an Elisco M16 rifle, a Bushmaster M16 rifle, an M16, A1 rifle with one short magazine loaded with 15 rounds of live ammunition, and a cellphone.
The recovered firearms and other items were immediately turned over to authorities for proper disposition.
In Nueva Vizcaya, another alias 鈥淩od鈥�, medical officer of the West Front Committee-Komiteng Probinsya (KOMPROB) Cagayan had surrendered through the local police and National Intelligence Coordinating Agency (NICA).
The rebel surrenderees claimed that they are 鈥渁lready tired of running and hiding away from government forces鈥� and that they have 鈥渘o more place to hide鈥� since the people have been reportedly tipping off their presence or location to the authorities.