BORONGAN CITY — Six individuals believed to be members of the Yunit Militia of the New People's Army surrendered to the military and turned over anti-personnel mines that were entrusted to them by communist guerillas for safekeeping last Friday.

The six turned themselves in to the 78th Infantry (Warrior) Battalion accompanied by two women guerilla fighters who earlier surrendered to the military due to the prodding and encouragement of their respective families.

They were identified as Melissa Delmonte alias Lyn/Ivy, Rotchild Baque alias Dawe, Remwil Amado alias Jaguar, Donita Rose Delmonte alias Ara, Richard Delmonte alias Diego and Ernie Boy Amado alias Boy/Rose, all residents of Barangay Pinanag-an, Borongan City.

The six brought with them one Tube-Type Anti-Personnel Mine, three C-Type APMs, one roll of electrical wire and one 50-meter detonating wire which were left to them by the NPA.

Maj. Kaharudin Cadil, civil military operations officer of the 802nd Infantry Brigade, said the NPA militia members were encouraged to surrender by former guerillas Elizabeth Andia Delmonte alias Iska/Marta and Marlyn Lingan Mabag alias Margie.

Cadil explained that Yunit Militia is the para-military force of the NPA in a community that performs tasks such as monitoring of government forces, conducts operations such as sniping and land mining of government troops, and secure and supervise the food cache, arm cache and communal farms for the NPA.

They also served as force multipliers and facilitators of the survivability and mobility of the NPA while maintaining a low profile and cannot be easily identified since they are civilians in nature and part-time guerillas living with the populace in the communities.

Lieutenant Colonel Allan Tria, Commanding Officer of the 78th Infantry Battalion, said the recovery of APMs manifests the continued violation of the communist movement on international humanitarian laws and conventions that bans its use in the conduct of warfare.