In a significant development in the fight against insurgency, six members of the New People’s Army (NPA) turned themselves in at the Esperanza Municipal Police Station in Masbate province over the weekend. The surrender took place in Barangay Poblacion and was reported by Lt. Col. Malu Calubaquib, spokesperson for the Police Regional Office in Bicol (PRO-5). The former rebels, who were part of Platoon 1, Kilusang Larangan Guerilla 2, Sub-Regional Committee 4, and the Bicol Regional Party Committee, handed over an improvised 12-gauge shotgun and a single live round of ammunition. They had been operating under the leadership of Rogelio “Ka Manong” Suson in the third district of the province and admitted to participating in various meetings and rallies led by someone known as “Ka Denden.” The successful surrender was the result of coordinated efforts by the 2nd Provincial Mobile Force Company, the Esperanza MPS, the 2nd Infantry Battalion, and the 96th Military Intelligence Company of the Philippine Army’s 9th Infantry Division. The returnees are set to participate in a comprehensive debriefing and will be integrated into the Enhanced Comprehensive Local Integration Program. This program aims to help former rebels reintegrate into society through livelihood assistance, skills training, housing support, and psychological and social rehabilitation.
