NPA rebels surrender in Surigao del Sur

Two alleged members of the New People’s Army (NPA), including one who was wounded in a recent clash, surrendered to government troops after abandoning their mountain hideout in Barangay Puyat, Carmen, Surigao del Sur, on Saturday.

Lt. Col. Joselito Ante Jr., commander of the 36th Infantry Battalion “Valor,” identified the surrenderers by their aliases “Bembe” and “Jurex,” both affiliated with a communist guerrilla front operating in Northeastern Mindanao.

The two turned over one M16 and one M14 Armalite assault rifle, along with assorted ammunition.

According to the military, the rebels said they decided to surrender after their logistics network collapsed, as residents allegedly stopped providing food, compounded by sustained military operations in the area.

Alias “Jurex” said he was wounded during an encounter, prompting him to seek assistance from relatives for medical treatment.

Ante said the surrender was driven by exhaustion, hunger, and what he described as the rebels’ realization that the ideology they once followed no longer served the people’s interests.

The two are currently undergoing processing and debriefing. They are expected to be enrolled in the government’s Enhanced Comprehensive Local Integration Program (E-CLIP), which provides financial assistance, livelihood training, and reintegration support.

The Army renewed its call for remaining insurgents to lay down their arms and avail themselves of government programs aimed at achieving lasting peace and development in Northeastern Mindanao.