Five alleged Communist rebels turned themselves to the government last week, a military official said.
Col. Ezra Balagtey, the Armed Forces of the Philippines’ (AFP) Eastern Mindanao Command (EastMinCom) spokesperson, said two regular members of the New People’s Army (NPA) separately gave up on Sunday to troopers of the 67th Infantry Battalion.Balagtey said Dodong, said to be a team leader of an NPA group operating in the boundary of Compostela Valley and Davao Oriental, surrendered without firearms in Sitio Guang-Guang, Barangay Dahican, Mati City, Davao Oriental.
Dodong allegedly sought the help of local officials of Barangay Taocanga, Manay, Davao Oriental after he left the group on Thursday.
Balagtey said Kokoy, a member of the same NPA group, yielded to the patrol base in Brgy Tubaon, Taraggona, Davao Oriental on the same day. He was aided by a concerned citizen when he gave up.
Kokoy said he left the group four months after he was recruited.
On Wednesday, two NPA leaders – a vice commander and a squad leader — and a medic yielded to Lt. Col. Roy Anthony Derillo, the commander of the 58IB, at his headquarters in Barangay Migbantay, Claveria, Misamis Oriental.
The returnees were only identified as Jun Jun, Shooter, and Em-em, all NPA members operating in Misamis Oriental.