TALACOGON, Agusan del Sur, Dec. 10 - Six members and supporters of the New People's Army (NPA) yielded to the government's fold and peacefully laid down their firearms to the forces of the 26th Infantry (Ever Onward) Battalion (26IB), Philippine Army at its headquarters in Agusan del Sur.

The surrenderees were identified as alias 'Barungos', six years in the armed struggle; alias 'Jemuel', with two years of experience as squad leader; alias 'Labtik', a former Militia ng Bayan (MB) member; alias 'Dondon', an MB member for seven years together with his wife alias 'Denden', an extortion collector and MB and; alias 'Banjie', a platoon medic for seven months and was impregnated by her colleague. All of them belong to Guerilla Front (GF) 88 of the North Central Mindanao Regional Committee (NCMRC) operating in the municipality of San Luis and some parts of La Paz, all of Agusan del Sur.

After realizing the senseless cause of their armed struggle, said surrenderees peacefully laid down six firearms to the government forces. The surrendered firearms composed of one AK47, one M14 rifle, one M16 rifle and one M1 carbine rifle, one Cal 45 pistol and one Cal 38 revolver. Also, other surrendered items included a total of seven magazines and 77 ammunition.

The voluntary surrender of these former rebels (FRs) was made possible through the joint efforts of the 401st Infantry (Unity) Brigade and the Intelligence Section of 26IB in collaboration with the Peace, Law Enforcement and Development (PLED) Support Team Cluster of the Municipal Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (MTF-ELCAC) of San Luis, Agusan del Sur.

Meanwhile, Lt. Col. Reynald Romel A. Goce, Commanding Officer of 26IB, commended the six surrenderees for their courage and eagerness for returning back to the folds of law. "Welcome back to the mainstream society. You've just made the best decision in your life before this year ends. I am happy to commend all of you for coming back to the folds of law without fear and hesitation," he said.

"We are calling our brothers and sisters who are still in the armed group to lay down your arms in order to live peaceful and meaningful lives together with your loved ones especially this coming Christmas. The five decades of armed struggle have brought senseless death and miseries to hundreds of thousands of our countrymen. Surrender now and we will aspire for a peaceful country," added Goce.

Meanwhile, the unit of 26IB also conducted Custodial Debriefing to the surrenderees who were processed for the enrollment in the Enhanced Comprehensive Local Integration Program (E-CLIP) benefits, a government program that aims to help the rebel members of Communist Party of the Philippines-New People's Army-National Democratic Front (CPP-NPA-NDF) and MB to restore their allegiance to the Philippine government. (2Lt. Cecille Tappa, acting CMO, 26IB/PIA-Agusan del Sur)