THE LOCAL government of T’boli’s awarded immediate cash assistance amounting to P20,000 to the two communist rebels who surrendered to the soldiers in Barangay Edwards, T’Boli, South Cotabato on July 2.
Photos courtesy of 11th Special Forces Company
Capt. Krisjuper Andreo Punsalan, the commanding officer of the 11th Special Forces Battalion, said the Provincial Joint AFP-PNP Intelligence Committee (JAPIC) validated the surrenderees as alias JL, a former political guide, and alias Ratrat, an NPA in the Barrio (Milisyang Bayan/ Yunit Milisya/Local Guerilla Unit) of Platoon Brigol, Guerilla Front 73, (now Guerilla Front Musa) Far South Mindanao.
Punsalan said they also surrendered a .30 caliber M1 Carbine rifle, .45 caliber Thompson sub-machine gun and an International Humanitarian Law (IHL)-banned anti-personnel landmine.
Both surrenderees belonged to the T’boli tribe operating in the boundaries of South Cotabato, Saranggani and Sultan Kudarat provinces.
The surrenderees’ identities were withheld for the purpose of security. They surrendered through the joint efforts of the 6th Civil-Military Operations Battalion, 7th Infantry Battalion, 11th Special Forces Company, 5th Special Forces Battalion (5SFBN) and the Philippine National Police the
Mayor Keo Dayle T. Tuan said that he will continue the programs of his father, former Mayor Dibu S. Tuan, that are anchored on the National Task Force Ending Local Communist Armed Conflict (NTF-ELCAC) and Executive Order No. 70. He hopes to maintain peace, order, and development of T’Boli town through the continuous delivery of basic and social services to the far-flung and isolated village of T’Boli and the continuous implementation of the Enhanced Comprehensive Local Integration Program (E-CLIP) to help surrenderees return to their families, communities and mainstream, society.
“As the newly elected mayor, one of my priorities is on peace, order and security of our town because we would like more investors to come in and further develop our town as the premiere agricultural, ecological and cultural tourism destination in South Cotabato. Violence, terrorism and criminality have no place here in our tribal municipality, “ Tuan said.
It can be recalled that from October 2021, a series of combat encounters in Lake Sebu and T’Boli transpired, which resulted in the neutralization of alias Jenrose, the deputy secretary of Guerilla Front MUSA, and three other communists.
T’boli is one of the towns of South Cotabato that showcases its best practices in the implementation of the Retooled Community Support Program (RCSP) and E-CLIP as mandated by the EO 70.
Meanwhile, the surrenderees were also presented to BGen. Pedro C Balisi Jr, commander of the 1st Mechanized Infantry Brigade, and MGen. Roberto Capulong, acting commander of the 6th Infantry Division and Joint Task Force Central.
