ILOILO City – Shortly after a bomb specialist of the Communist Party of the Philippines – New People’s Army (CPP-NPA) surrendered to the police, two more members followed suit.
Yesterday, June 2, another confessed rebel yielded to the Leon, Iloilo municipal police station.
According to alias Kim, 21, he was a member of Team 15 under the Nonito Aguirre Command of Central Front Committee operating in the mountainous areas of Lutod-lutod, President Roxas and Maayon in Capiz province.
Kim said he joined the underground movement last March 16, 2018 due to the influence of his cousins who were active CPP-NPA members.
But after only nine months, he realized he could not stand the hunger in the mountains.
On Dec. 31, 2018, he said he was able to escape.
He hid for more than two years until he made a decision to come out. He said he surrendered to clear his name and to have a peaceful life with his family.
On June 1, alias June, 25, former member of Igabon Platoon, Central Front Committee (CFC), surrendered to the Bingawan municipal police station.
June said he was in the CPP-NPA since Nov. 11, 2012. He left on March 10, 2018.
Before he was recruited by the rebels at age 17, he said he was already a sympathizer being utilized by his aunt (an active rebel supporter in their barangay) as a liaison. He eventually decided to be a full-time member of the CPP-NPA.
June revealed he was involved in six rebel encounters with government forces in barangays Abangay, Acuña, Aglinab, Natip, and Lahug in Tapaz, Capiz from 2013 to 2015.
In 2019, June escaped from the CPP-NPA.
He decided to leave because he was disappointed with rebel movement. He was denied medical support for his sick mother.
“There is no truth to their promise that they will fully support my family in times of need,” June told the police.
On Tuesday, Ka Alvin from Kabankalan, Negros Occidental, a bomb expert, surrendered to the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group Region 6 (CIDG-6) after 32 years of being in the rebel movement.
Western Visayas police director, Police Brigadier General Rolando Miranda, said the voluntary surrender of rebels is “patunay na marami na ang naniniwala sa programa ng gobyerno na tapusin ang karahasan ng CPP-NPA.”/PN
