Two alleged New People’s Army (NPA) leaders and a medical officer have surrendered to the military in Gingoog City, Misamis Oriental, the Philippine Army (PA) said Sunday, July 3.
First Lt. Claudine Robledo, civil military operations officer of the Army’s 4th Infantry Division (4ID), identified the rebels as couple Neiljan Legaspino, 29, and Ariel Compas, 27; and Golden Romania Compas Sr., 42.
According to the 4ID, Legaspino was the squad leader of the NPA’s Sub-Regional Committee (SRC) 1; Compas was the medical officer of the Platoon Falcon of SRC 1; and the elder Compas was a political guide of the Platoon Falcon. All of them were allegedly operating in Gingoog City.
The three rebels yielded to 58th Infantry Battalion (58IB) in Sitio Anahaw, Brgy. Bantaawan in Gingoog City last July 1 “due to the hardships and deception they had experienced” from the communist group.
The three rebels also turned over an M16 sniper rifle with magazines and ammunition, an improvised explosive device (IED), two blasting caps, and a 10-meter detonating cord.
They were placed under the custody of the 58IB and will be enrolled in the government’s Enhanced Comprehensive Local Integration Program (E-CLIP) where they will be provided with financial and livelihood assistance worth P200,000 collectively.
Communist insurgency remains as one of the priorities of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) even as the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) vowed to “outlast” the new administration.
“After having frustrated Rodrigo Duterte and the Armed Forces of the Philippines’ declared aim of crushing the Party and the armed revolution, the CPP is now ready to face the relentless attacks and intensified fascist offensives of the AFP under the Marcos [Jr.] regime,” CPP information officer Marco Valbuena said.
