BY DOMINIQUE GABRIEL BAÑAGA
BACOLOD City – Some 24 members of the Communist Party of the Philippine-New People’s Army (CPP-NPA) surrendered to elements of the Philippine Army’s 62nd Infantry Battalion (IB) in Negros Oriental.
Two of them were identified as “Ka Motmot” and “Ka Kulafu,” both members of the NPA’s Leonardo Panaligan Command-NPA based in Central Negros. They yielded to the 62IB in Guinhulngan City on Aug. 21 and Aug. 24 respectively.
“Pagod na ako sa sunod-sunod na trabaho. Hindi ko na maintindihan ang programa ng NPA, lalo na noong pinatay ng aking kasamahang armado ang aking kapatid. Hindi ko na kaya ang pagod, gutom at takot sa kabundukan, at walang klarong kinabukasan na palagi nalang nagtatago,” “Ka Motmot” said.
“Ka Kulafu”, for his part, said: “Sa aking 15 taon sa NPA ay walang nagbago sa aking buhay at sa pag-asang manalo laban sa gobyerno. Malaki ang aking naging pagsisisi sa lahat ng kamaliang nagawa ko.
“Aking napag-isipan na isang malaking pagkakamali ang aking pagsunod sa mga naging utos ng aming mga kumander na pumatay ng mga awtoridad ng gobyerno at lalo na nang mga inosenteng sibilyan,” he added.
The surrender of the two was quickly followed by 22 of their comrades.
Lieutenant Colonel Melvin Flores, 62IB commander, said the rebels would be given assistance under the government’s Enhanced Comprehensive Local Integration Program (E-CLIP) after their debriefing./PN
