HEAD of the Sangay ng Partido sa Lokalidad (SPL) and Milisya ng Bayan (MB) in Agusan del Norte voluntarily surrendered to the Army’s 23rd Infantry Battalion on Wednesday, a military official said.
Army’s 4th Infantry Division public affairs Chief Major Rodulfo Cordero identified the MB head as “Alias Rico”, 28, belonging to the Guerrilla Front (GF) 4A of the North Central Mindanao Regional Committee (NCMRC) of the New People’s Army (NPA).
Cordero said Alias Rico was operating in Barangay Durian, Las Nieves town, who voluntarily surrendered to 23IB commander Lt. Col. Julius Cesar C. Paulo at the battalion headquarters in Jamboree Site, Purok 6, Barangay Alubihid, Buenavista, Agusan del Norte.
"The increasing numbers of surrendering NPA supporters is indeed a good indicator that the supporting the communist terrorist group will not bring good to them but rather gives a life full of miseries, lies, and deception," said Cordero.
Alias Rico surrendered with them the 23rd IB a Honda XRM 125 Motorcycle, an ACER Laptop, 1 Baofeng Radio, 2 assorted Android phones, 7 assorted keypad phones, 2 gun tuckers, and assorted receipts.
He also revealed that the Honda motorcycle is owned by Khim Agad Mapoy @Patrick, the secretary of GF4A, NCMRC.
Alias Rico said being an MB of the communist NPA group he was tasked to keep the gears, equipment, firearms, and personal belongings of the CNT members inside his residence.
“Keeping such belongings had risked and put into danger the lives of my family members,” said Alias Rico.
He admitted of living in fear as he is already known in their community as a supporter and the keeper of CNT belongings.
It can be recalled, the Barangay Durian Council already declared the CPP-NPA-NDF and all its allied organizations as persona non grata last November 6, 2019.
The declaration showed the will of the people to get rid of the presence of the CNTs in their community.
On December 4, 2019, a young NPA combatant died during an encounter between the 23rd IB troopers and the communist rebels in Sitio San Jose, Durian.
Cordero said the MB head the geographical supporters of the communist group in a particular area of their operations.
“If they sincerely turn their back to atrocities and return to the mainstream of the society to embrace peace and reconciliation,” Cordero said, adding the government will continue to welcome anybody, whether supporters or regular members of the CPP – NPA.
Meanwhile, 23IB civil-military officer 1st Lieutenant Roel Maglalang said series of peace consultations and dialogues were facilitated in the said barangay where the residents and the council requested the Army for the establishment of a patrol base in their community to neutralize the communist rebel group.
Maglalang said through the joint efforts of the 23rd IB and the members of the barangay council, “Alias Rico” finally realized that he was on the right path and voluntarily surrendered to the Army.
“Rico” also admitted that he is already tired of giving support to the NPA rebels and he also wanted to clear his name.
“Nibalik ko sa sabakan sa balaod kay gusto nako hinluan akong pangalan kay gibantog na gyud ko sa among lugar nga usa ka full time NPA. Gawas pa ana, gikapoy na ko sulod sa halos tulo (3) ka tuig nga nagpaulipon nako sa walhong grupo,” Alias Rico said.
Lt. Col. Paulo was grateful for MB head realization which led to his decision to return to the folds of the law.
“I am glad that the Alias Rico in Barangay Durian now returned to the folds of the law,” said Paulo, adding the surrender of him (“Rico”) indicates that the government is winning the war without the use of arms and violence.
“We don’t want the residents of Barangay Durian to once again experience armed conflict because it only brought senseless deaths, miseries and destroyed the future of the people,” said Paulo hence, he said will ensure his safety and well-being as he returns to the folds of the law,” The 23rd IB commander is also seeing the decline of the atrocities of the CNTs in the area, such as extortion and recruitment because of the loss of their trusted MB leader. (Ben Balce)
