By Alexander Lopez

BUTUAN CITY – Four communist New People’s Army (NPA) fighters decided to lay down their arms Friday to the Regional Mobile Force Battalion headquarters of the Police Regional Office-Caraga (PRO-13) in Camp Col. Rafael C. Rodriguez here.

PRO-13 director, Brig. Gen. Joselito Esquivel identified the four NPA surrenderers only as alias “Mon”, 51, a resident of Barangay Bunaguit, Esperanza, Agusan del Sur; alias “Mike”, 21, a resident of Barangay Lamusig, Tungao, Butuan City; alias “Bong”, 30, a resident of Km.12 Hinandayan, Barangay Camagong, Nasipit, Agusan del Norte; and alias “Cris”, 37, a resident of Barangay Camagong, Nasipit.

Esquivel said the former rebels surrendered "due to the hunger that they could no longer withstand and the fatigue their bodies could no longer bear."

They formerly belonged to the Guerrilla Front 4-A of the NPA's North Central Mindanao Regional Committee (NCMRC).

Esquivel said their surrender has added to the increasing number of NPA members who have turned their backs from the NPA.

“They now realize the deceptions of the NPA and decided to have better, peaceful and productive lives without fear of being killed in the armed struggle,” Esquivel said.

The four former rebels will be enrolled with the government's Enhanced Comprehensive Local Integration Program, he said.

Despite the Philippine National Police's involvement in the fight against the 2019 coronavirus disease (Covid-19), the PRO-Caraga chief vowed the police in the region will continue its operations against "all forms of criminalities, with the support the Armed Forces of the Philippines."

The NPA is listed as a terrorist organization by the United States, the European Union, the United Kingdom, Australia, Canada, New Zealand, and the Philippines. (PNA)