An alleged member of the New People’s Army (NPA) surrendered to soldiers of the 73rd Infantry Battalion in Sarangani last Friday.
Meanwhile, an arms cache with 490 rounds of M14 ammunition belonging to the NPAs was discovered by the same battalion in Sitio Salyan, Barangay Sapu Masla, Malapatan, Sarangani at 5 p.m. on Saturday.
Lt. Col. Ronaldo Valdez, commander of the 73rdIB, identified the surrenderee as alias Ronnie, a member of Guerilla Front 71, Far Southern Mindanao Region, and a resident of Barangay Datal Bukay, Glan, Sarangani Province.
Accordingly, Lipay decided to surrender after he attended a series of pulong-pulong (town hall) conducted by the Civil Military Operations Platoon of the 73rdIB, together with former rebels who gave their testimonies after being enrolled in the government’s transition program.
“Despite the deployment of troops in implementing the enhanced community quarantine imposed in Sarangani, the 73rdIB is still committed to accomplishing its main mission to secure the people and protect rebels who are willing to return to the folds of the law,” Valdez said.
Meanwhile, Capt. Jerry Lamosao, the 10th Infantry Division Public Affairs Office chief, said the soldiers discovered the arms cache after acting on the information extracted a surrenderee.
The said section unearthed a total of 490 rounds of M14 ammunition belonging to the Guerilla Front Tala, Far Southern Mindanao Region, which was stored by alias Yoyong in the area in December 2019.
“With the help of the FRs (former rebels), we located the NPA arms cache, which they can use in conducting atrocities, especially this NPA anniversary,” Valdez said.
Alias Tarzan, who surrendered to the unit last Feb. 27, 2020, allso pointed to the location of an arms cache, which included one AK-47 and two M16 rifles on Feb. 29, 2020.
