42 UGMO members withdraw support from CTGs in San Jose, Tarlac
Fort Magsaysay, Nueva Ecija– Forty-two (42) members of Underground Mass Organizations (UGMO) withdrew their support from the Communist Terrorist Group (CTG) in San Jose, Tarlac, in a ceremony held at Brgy. InIba Covered Court of said municipality on May 20, 2021.
A total of 42 identified organizers, supporters, and couriers of the CTG finally severed their ties with the group after the Community Support Program (CSP) teams of the Army conducted a series of information awareness campaign in the area.
The breakdown of the surrenderers are as follows: fifteen (15) members of Sangay ng Partido sa Lokalidad, twenty-one (21) Milisyang Bayan (MB) who are members of Yunit Milisya under Komiteng Larangang Gerilya Tarlac-Zambales (KLG-TARZAM), two (2) members of Malayang Kilusan ng Makabagong Kababaihan (Makibaka) and four (4) members of Kabataang Makabayan (KM) from the Barangays of Iba, Moriones, Lubigan, Villa Aglipay, Sula and Maamot, all of San Jose, Tarlac,
The withdrawal of support was spearheaded by San Jose Mayor, Romeo G. Capitulo, with the Barangay Chairman of Iba and ABC President of San Jose. Said officials led the oath of allegiance and signing of a wall of commitment that states their desire to clear all the barangays of San Jose from CTG infuence. They also pledged to file a resolution denouncing the CTGs' presence and activities in their municipality and declaring them as “Persona Non-Grata”.
The activity was made possible through the efforts of the CSP teams of the 31st Mechanized Infantry Company, 32nd Mechanized Infantry Company, 3rd Civil-Military Operations Company, and the 84th Infantry Battalion under the supervision of Lt. Colonel Eugene Henry Z. Cabusao, Commanding Officer of 3rd Mech Bn.
The burning of a CTG flag wherein one of the MB requested the other UGMO members to stand strong against the CTGs, was the highlight of the activity.
“Magpakatotoo tayo mga kasama, kailangan nating magsama-sama sa tulong ng ating mga kasundaluhan at kapulisan para matutuldukan na ang ating mga hinaing at tayo’y aayon na sa programa ng ating gobyerno. Kami po ay nandito ngayon na nanumpa at nangako na sana’y inyong kalingain para maipakita sa ating mga mamamayan na totoo ang sinasabi ng ating gobyerno para wala ng maliligaw ng landas. H’wag nyo po kaming iwanan, tulungan niyo po kami. At sa aking mga kasamahan, magtulungan po tayong suportahan ang programa ng ating gobyerno," said one of the former MB member.
In response, Lt. Col. Cabusao promised to clear the municipality of San Jose of CTGs with the support of the former UGMO members, the LGU, and other government agencies.
Meanwhile, the commander of the 7th Infantry (Kaugnay) Division, Philippine Army, Major General Alfredo V. Rosario Jr., commended the efforts of the CSP together with its partner stakeholders, saying that everyone's effort counts in the fight against insurgency.