Isulan, Sultan Kudarat — At least ten alleged active members of the New People’s Army (NPA), under NPA-Guerilla Front 73 operating in the hinterlands of Sultan Kudarat and South Cotabato, voluntarily surrendered to authorities.
The surrendees were accepted in a simple program held at the King’s Hall of the Provincial Capitol here last Wednesday.
The group was formally presented by Sultan Kudarat Police Senior Supt. Raul S Supiter and Col. Besmark Soliba of the 1st Mechanized Army Brigade before Sultan Kudarat Governor Sultan Pax Mangudadatu. Mangudadatu also chairs the Regional Peace and Order Council-12.
The turn-over ceremony was also duly witnessed and attested by Exequiel Ixiomo of the DILG-Sultan Kudarat and were handed over an initial livelihood package from the provincial government through Provincial Social Welfare and Development Office head Henry Albano at P20 thousand each.
The leader of the group, whose real name was witheld by authorities for security reasons, “Ka Putao” is from the Dulangan-Manobo Tribes, while the others were said to be from Barangay Medtungok, Senator Ninoy Aquino, Sultan Kudarat and one was from Barangay Ned, Lake Sebu, South Cotabato and said to be an Ilonggo.
Mangudadatu thanked the returnees for trusting the administration of President Rodrigo Duterte and promised that they will automatically be part of his livelihood programs in Sultan Kudarat.
“Mabuti at naisipan ninyong bumalik at mabuhay dahil sa ginagawa ng PNP at AFP, sigurado kawawa kayo pag magkabakbakan,” Mangudadatu said.
For his part, Ka Putao said they served as guide and advance group of other NPA armed guerrillas but expressed his regret on the unfulfilled promises to them by the NPA which was not clearly mentioned.
“Pagod na kami at gutom kaya sumuko na kami,” he said.
The group surrendered one Ultimax rifle, one M1 Garand rifle, one Uzi machine pistol, one Thomgram, one caliber .22 rifle, one caliber .45 pistol, one incendiary bomb, and assorted ammunition and magazines of the surrendered firearms. (Rose Muñeza)
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