In a significant move towards peace, nine members of the New People’s Army (NPA) in Northern Samar have surrendered to the Philippine Army’s 19th Infantry Battalion. The surrender took place on February 15, 2025, and was reported by the military on February 17. The group, part of the NPA’s sub-regional guerrilla unit, handed over a total of six firearms, including one R4 rifle, two M16 rifles, two improvised M14 rifles, and one carbine rifle, along with an anti-personnel mine and two bandoliers. The rebels, who went by the aliases Amboy, Jhonry, Lenlen, Adi, Bobby, Ostoy, Boy, Nap, and Yutot, turned themselves in at the army headquarters in Opong village, Catubig, Northern Samar. According to the military, the decision to surrender was influenced by severe hunger and a lack of community support. Lt. Col. Marvin Maraggun, the battalion commander, praised the former rebels for choosing to abandon violence and expressed the military’s commitment to supporting their reintegration into society. Maj. Gen. Adonis Ariel Orio, commander of the 8th Infantry Division, emphasized the government’s readiness to assist rebels seeking a peaceful life, aiming to reintegrate them into the community and offer them a better future. The government is currently coordinating with local units to provide immediate assistance and benefits to the former rebels, who are now participating in debriefing, healing, and reconciliation sessions as part of the local social integration and enhanced comprehensive local integration programs.
