60 NPA rebels lay down arms in Sultan Kudarat

COTABATO CITY - The number of communist rebels belonging to the New People's Army who surrendered to authorities in Sultan Kudarat has reached 60.

Colonel Harold Cabunoc, commander of the Philippine Army's 33rd Infantry Makabayan Battalion, said the latest batch that surrendered belonged to the NPA's Platoon Cloudfone. The group, composed of Kumanders Ka Jimboy and Ka Bobby and six others, surrendered on Thursday.

They also gave up two M-16 rifles and improvised explosive devices (IEDs).

Some members of the New People's Army surrendered to the Philippine Army in Sultan Kudarat on Thursday, Nov. 2, 2017. The NPAs also gave up their M-16 rifles and improvised explosive devices. Philippine Army's 33rd Makabayan Battalion

“We were very tired and hungry after months of evading the patrolling troops in the forests of Sultan Kudarat,” Ka Jimboy said in a video taken during the surrender ceremony.

Cabunoc was elated that the rebels chose to turn back from fighting the military and resume their respective normal lives instead in upland communities.

The army official also listened to their gripes during his community visits.

“Hearing it from them personally (via) a face-to-face conversation, I took the efforts to bring the message to the right government institutions and make actions on it,” Cabunoc said.

Among issues raised were poor government response, land grabbing, and lack of employment opportunities.

Cabunoc met with Sultan Kudarat Governor Sultan Pax Mangudadatu to discuss the needs of communities supporting the NPA surrenderers.

The provincial government responded by immediately dispatching its engineering personnel for high-impact projects such as day care centers and road access.

Cabunoc also met with the regional director of Department of Tourism Region 12 to discuss the possibility of tapping local residents for employment. The province has potentials for eco-tourism with its caves, waterfalls, mountain climbing sites, and white sand beaches.

At first, the campaign to quell the insurgency in Sultan Kudarat was difficult because troops of the 33rd IB had to put up with a bloody firefight with the NPAs. However, when they toppled the enemy forces, the Army soldiers treated the wounded rebels well.

Cabunoc told former rebels that soldiers are not bound to kill fellow Filipinos but to give rebels the chance to change and go back to normal life.

In a Facebook post, Cabunoc said they might give the NPA surrenderers a tour of the city and treat their children to a meal at fast-food chains to make them feel that living a normal life is better than fighting in the jungles.

The NPA in South Central Mindanao has not yet issued a statement regarding members laying down arms. —KG, GMA News