2 former NPA members surrender in Aurora

Two former members of the New People’s Army (NPA) surrendered to authorities in Maria Aurora town, this province on Monday.

In an interview on Tuesday, Lt. Col. Reandrew P. Rubio, commander of the Philippine Army's 91st Infantry “Sinagtala” Battalion, identified the surrenderers as alias Okoy and alias Alex, former CTG couriers/contacts of the NPA’s Komiteng Larangang Guerrilla Sierra Madre (KLG-SM).

He said both, who are residents of Barangay Diaat, Maria Aurora, turned over their homemade handguns -- a.38 caliber with four rounds of ammunition and a .22mm caliber with four rounds of ammunition.

Rubio said the surrendered firearms are now in the custody of the Retooled Community Support Program (RCSP) team of Charlie Company for safekeeping and proper disposition.

“The surrender of two loose firearms to our RCSP team from the former CTG couriers under KLG-SM indicates the effective implementation of the Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (TF ELCAC),” he said.

Rubio thanked the local government unit (LGU) for providing timely and accurate information leading to the surrender of the two former CTG couriers.

He said the surrender is a result of the strengthened collaboration among the LGUs, security forces, and the stakeholders in the province.

“It is high time to surrender and take advantage of the E-CLIP (Enhanced Comprehensive Local Integration Program) and other benefits offered by both national and local government agencies,” he added.

The NPA is listed as a terrorist organization by the United States, European Union, the United Kingdom, Australia, Canada, New Zealand, and the Philippines.