SEVEN members of the New People’s Army (NPA) brought along three high-powered firearms when they surrendered to soldiers of the 56th Infantry Battalion in Talaingod, Davao Del Norte, April 8.
56IB commander, Lt. Col. Osmalik Tayaban, identified the rebel returnees by their aliases Mamiloy, Onyok/Thor,Trisha, Toryo/Dayan, Mars, Marvin and Dante.
They brought along with them two AK-47 rifles and an IMI Israel AR Galil rifle.
Brig. Gen. Consolito Yecla, 1003rd Infantry Brigade commander, attributed the surrenders to Project Boss, which stands for Bugas, Odong, Sardinas, and Sigarilyo.
Project Boss is the local peace engagement undertaken by the 1003rd Brigade to finally encourage a snowball of surrenders by connecting with the family members of the active rebels.
Meanwhile, 10ID commander, Maj. Gen. Nolasco Mempin, welcomed the new surrenderers and congratulated the efforts of the 56IB and 1003rd Brigade for their relentless push to completely clear their area of operations from the influence of the CPP-NPA.
“The snowball of surrenders in Southern Mindanao is a clear manifestation that we are close to ending this five-decade long insurgency,” Mempin added.
