MORE regular members of the New People’s Army have returned to the fold of the law.
Another rebel on Wednesday surrendered to local police authorities in Occidental Mindoro following negotiations with officials, bringing to 297 the number of NPA rebels who have yielded to MIMAROPA authorities since January 2021, said Police Regional Office 4-B director Brig. Gen. Sydney Hernia.
The man using the rebel moniker “Ka Steve’ turned himself over to officers of the 2nd Occidental Mindoro Provincial Mobile Force in Bgy. Payompon in Mamburao, Occidental Mindoro at 11 a.m. on Wednesday.
In a report to Philippine National Police chief Gen. Dionardo Carlos, the PRO4-B director said that the 33-year-old NPA member’s name is included in their latest Periodic Status Report on CPP/NPA personalities in Mimaropa region.
“Ka Steve” was described as a regular member of the rebel movement’s Sandatahang Pampropaganda Yunit-Platoon GMT under the CPP/NPA’s Southern Tagalog Regional Party Committee.
“He is a known member of the NPA Lucio de Guzman Command, which operates in the municipalities of Sta. Cruz, Mamburao, Paluan and Abra de Ilog in Occidental Mindoro, and in Puerto Galera, San Teodoro and Baco towns in Oriental Mindoro,” said Hernia
.The official said that the rebel yielded following the PRO4-B’s continuing effort to convince more NPA guerrillas in Mimaropa region to return to the mainstream of the society and avail of the government’s comprehensive livelihood package for rebel returnees.