ILOILO City – A former rebel voluntarily surrendered a defused improvised explosive device (IED) and detonating cord to the Philippine Army’s Community Support Program (CSP) team in Barangay Santiago, Barotac Viejo, Iloilo.
The former rebel, a resident of the same barangay, revealed that the IED and detonating cord were entrusted to him by the now deceased local rebel leader Joven “Ka Lex” Ceralvo when they were together with the New People’s Army (NPA),
Ceralvo, who was the second deputy secretary of the NPA Kometing Rehiyon-Panay Southern Front, was killed in a clash with government forces at Sitio Burak, Barangay Alimodias, Miag-ao, Iloilo, on December 1, 2021.
Ceralvo faced multiple criminal charges, including rebellion, frustrated murder, attempted murder, robbery, and arson.
The surrendered IED and detonating cord are now under the custody of the Philippine Army.
Brigadier General Michael Samson, commander of the Army’s 3rd Infantry Division (3ID), hailed the surrender as a significant achievement in the ongoing efforts to encourage communist terrorists to abandon armed struggle and reintegrate into society.
He commended the former rebel’s decision to surrender the explosives and emphasized the success of localized peace engagements.
“This surrender is a testament to the success of our efforts to promote peace and security in our communities,” said Samson. “We urge other rebel remnants to follow this path and collaborate with the government to achieve lasting peace and development.”
Samson further stated that the surrender would serve as an encouragement for other insurgents to abandon their violent ways, return to the law, and live peacefully with their families./PN
