By SunStar

TWO more members of the New People’s Army (NPA) have surrendered in Central Mindanao as the Joint Task Force (JTF)-Central stepped up its combat and non-combat operations.

The two NPA surrenderers identified only through their aliases for security reasons surrendered Thursday, November 11, 2021 to the 38th Infantry Battalion (IB) and 6th Civil-Military Operations Battalion at Sitio Tampuan in Kamanga village, Maasim, Sarangani.

They are Ka Cardo, 62 and Ka Mimoy, 36, who are members of the Guerilla Front Musa of the NPA’s Far South Mindanao Regional Committee.

The two surrendered their firearms that include an improvised M14 rifle with two magazines and 40 rounds of live ammunition and one Garand rifle with five clips, 37 rounds of live ammunition, and eight rounds of K3 ammunition, according to Major General Alfredo Rosario, Jr, commander of the Western Mindanao Command (Westmincom).

“We continue to encourage militants to surrender and possibly spend the holiday seasons with their loved ones,” Rosario said.

“As the highest military commander in this side of the country, I am elated with this development, and I commend our soldiers and those who are helping and assisting them to achieve these successes,” he added.

The two former NPAs rebels underwent custodial debriefing conducted by the 603rd Infantry Brigade while their surrendered firearms are placed under the custody of 38IB for proper disposition.

“We expect to be counting and receiving more NPA members who will surrender in the coming days, as some of the top leaders of the group already yielded,” said Major General Juvymax Uy, JTF-Central commander.

The two surrendered two days after four NPAs who belong to the West Daguma Front, Sub-Regional Committee Daguma, Far South Mindanao Regional Committee, surrendered to the 37th Infantry Battalion.

The four surrendered Tuesday, November 9, in Tibpuan village, Lebak, Sultan Kudarat.

Since January this year, 121 NPA members already surrendered to the government forces with most of them also turning over their firearms and ammunition.

Of the 121 NPA surrenderers, 13 are from the West Daguma, 84 from the East Daguma, and 24 from the GF Musa. (SunStar Zamboanga)