6 NPA members
surrender to gov't during CPP-NPA anniv
By 2Lt.
Cecille Tappa
TALACOGON,
Agusan del Sur, Jan. 5 - Six members of the New People's Army (NPA) voluntarily
surrendered to the 26th Infantry Battalion (26IB), Philippine Army during the
52nd founding anniversary of the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) on
Dec. 26, 2020.
The surrenderees were identified as alias ‘Eking’ from Brgy. Balit, alias ‘Nel’
and alias ‘Juan’ from Brgy. Binicalan, all of San Luis, Agusan del Sur; alias
‘Paying’ from Brgy. Lydia, alias ‘Ebo’ and alias ‘Nadel’ from Brgy. Angeles,
all of La Paz, Agusan del Sur. They were all Militia ng Bayan (MB) members of
the Guerilla Front 88 of the North Central Mindanao Regional Committee (NCMRC)
operating in San Luis and some parts of Talacogon and La Paz, ADS.
With
the intent to fully surrender to the government, they peacefully laid down six
firearms composed of one M16 rifle, one carbine rifle, two caliber 38 revolver,
two caliber 45 pistol, one KG9, four magazines, assorted live ammunition and
NPA flag.
As part
of the Barangay Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (BTF-ELCAC),
the empowered Brgy. Officials of Brgy. Balit, San Luis town headed by punong
barangay Elisa P. Gaud, accompanied the surrenderees going to the 26IB
headquarters as a way of showing their efforts in ending insurgency and
peace-building initiatives at the barangay level.
"These
surrenderees have already realized the futility of their armed struggle,
welcome back to the fold of the law. The continuous surrender only means that
the CPP-NPA is weakening and the AFP will continue its duty in ending the
conflict. The government, thru the efforts of the NTF-ELCAC, is winning the war
against these terrorists and there will be no more anniversaries for
them," Lt. Col. Goce added.
The
unit of 26IB has conducted custodial debriefing to the surrenderees who were
also processed for enrollment in the Enhanced Comprehensive Local Integration
Program (E-CLIP) benefits, a government program that aims to help the rebel
members of CPP-NPA-NDF and MB to restore their allegiance to the Philippine
government. (Acting CMO, 26IB/PIA-Agusan del Sur)
Army discovers CNT’s arms cache in Surigao del Norte
SURIGAO
CITY, Surigao del Norte, Jan. 5 -- The troops of the 30th Infantry Battalion
(30IB), Philippine Army discovered an arms cache of the communist New Peoples
Army (NPA) terrorists or CNTs in the vicinity of Tugnawan, Sitio Little Baguio,
Brgy. Payapag, Bacuag in this province, morning of December 27, 2020.
Based
on the report, the 30IB launched an operation in response to the information
revealed by a former rebel regarding the whereabouts of CNT’s cache containing
high powered firearms and war materials in the said area.
The
recovered numerous firearms include one caliber 5.56 AR18 rifle with SN
BB777999; one AK47 Rifle with SN 5508081; one caliber 30 M1 Garrand Rifle; one
caliber .22 Springfield Rifle with SN 2094577; one Hagen Shotgun; three
anti-personnel mines; 76 rounds 7.62 live ammunition for AK47; 31 rounds 7.62
live ammunition for caliber 30 M1 Garrand, assorted magazines; three magazines
for AK47; 250 meters electrical wire; and batteries.
The
said war materials are believed to be owned by the elements of Guerilla Front
16, NEMRC.
Col.
George L. Banzon, commander of 901st Infantry (Fight’Em) Brigade, said
that the discovery of the firearms was a clear manifestation that many are
displeased of the existence of the communist terrorist group (CTG).
“In
most of our successful operations, if it's not the civilians, it's the former
rebels (FRs) who disclose the whereabouts of their hideouts, caches and the
likes. This clearly suggests that our people including the FRs are disgruntled
and tired of the CTG atrocities and they want to end insurgency,” he said.
Col.
Banzon said that they will continue to pursue the remaining members of the CTG
in order to ensure the safety and security of the communities in Surigao del
Norte. He added that the remarkable gains in the counter-insurgency campaign in
the province were results of the convergence of efforts among different sectors
of the society.
“We
have achieved these gains because the local populace had seen and appreciated
the efforts of the government in pursuing genuine peace by facilitating the
convergence to address insurgency,” he said. (901st Infantry (Fight’Em)
Brigade/PIA-Surigao del Norte)
More Surigaonon farmers to benefit from another FMR
SURIGAO
CITY, Surigao del Norte, Jan. 5 -- The Department of Agriculture – Caraga
Philippine Rural Development Project (DA-CPRD) has turned-over recently a
4.6-kilometer Farm to Market Road (FMR) connecting Barangay Bad-as and Barangay
Maslog in Placer town, this province.
The
total project cost of the rehabilitation/construction/concreting of the said
FMR has amounted to P81,573,000 with a total of 708 households benefiting from
the project.
DA
Deputy Project Director Jodal A. Tabada said that she is thankful for the
partnership between the DA-PRDP Caraga and the local government unit that made
the project possible.
She was
hopeful that the project will help in further developing the agricultural and
fishery activities in the municipality.
Tabada
also said that boosting the agricultural and fishery production will help keep
the town food-secure which is very important especially at this time when there
are a lot of transport and travel restrictions because of the pandemic.
She
urged the project beneficiaries to manage the project well to make it last
longer so that many more can benefit from it. (DA-Caraga/PIA-Surigao del Norte)
Surigao port frontliners get disinfectant alcohol from PH distillery
SURIGAO
CITY, Surigao del Norte, Jan. 5 -- With the start of the new year, frontliners
serving the Port of Surigao received much-valued assistance in the continuing
fight against the spread of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID 19), courtesy of
Tanduay Distillers Incorporated.
Boxes
of 70% ethyl alcohol containing two dozens of 375 ml. bottles were given
recently for the use of port frontliners by representatives of Tanduay
Distillers led by Earl Matthew F. Uy, the company’s local area sales
coordinator, and were received by Port Manager Officer-in-Charge Froilan
Caturla.
A
wholly-owned subsidiary of Lucio Tan (LT) Group, Tanduay has been producing
ethyl alcohol since the middle part of 2020 to help address the alcohol
shortage among medical facilities.
The
company possessed some of the most modern and the best distilleries in the
country which were temporarily converted to produce ethyl alcohol as a way of
doing its part to keep communities safe from the spread of COVID 19. (NC Nusog,
PPA-PMO/PIA-Surigao del Norte)
PSA Caraga enjoins support for January 2021 LFS, CHED rider questions
BUTUAN CITY, Jan. 5 -- The Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) in Caraga will conduct the January 2021 Labor Force Survey (LFS) and rider questions of the Commission of Higher Education (CHED) and the UN Women. With a regional sample of approximately 2,144 housing units, it is deemed sufficient to provide regional level estimates.
In line with this, the PSA encourages everyone, especially the sample
households, to support and cooperate in the conduct of the January 2021 LFS.
The data collection will start on January 8 to 31, 2021.
All information collected by the hired Statistical Researchers from the sample households shall be kept strictly confidential and shall not be used for purposes of taxation, investigation or regulation as provided under Article 55 of Republic Aact 10625. (PSA Caraga/PIA Caraga)
