High-ranking NPA officials surrender to military

January 17, 2018

High-ranking New People’s Army (NPA) officials surrendered to government troops in South Cotabato on Monday.

Capt. Mc Gary Dida, civil military operations officer of the Army’s 1002nd Brigade, identified the two NPA officials as Noel Minioto Legazpi alias Efren – deputy secretary of Far South Mindanao Region (FSMR) with his wife Jeanalyn Defensor Bendalian alias Wendy, medical staff of the FSMR.

Dida said the two rebels surrendered to the troops of 27th Infantry Battalion at the Koronadal , South Cotabato on Monday afternoon.

“After realizing that the armed struggle of NPA terrorist is not attainable and the CPP-NPA-NDF will not win against the government alias Efren and Wendy turned themselves to the folds of law through the help of Governor Daisy Avance Fuentes of South Cotabato, who facilitated their surrender to the troops of 27IB,” he said.

“Efren is embracing the communist ideology since 1992 when he became a League of Filipino Students (LFS) leader. After six years he became a full time member of NPA and rise in the hierarchy of FSMR and became a deputy secretary. For almost 26 years he was deceived by the false ideology of the left and the movement (CPP-NPA-NDF) deprive him the freedom of democratic government,” he added.

Dida said Major General Noel Clement lauded the government troops' accomplishment.

"Let us continue to win the peace in this part of the region and focus more on our mandate on serving the people. This very significant development only indicates that not only the regular members and the mass supporters of the NPAs are tired of the armed struggle, even their top leaders already realized its futility,” Clement said.

“This only shows the communism in the area slowly bogs down" he added.

Dida said “South Cotabato Governor Fuentes assured the duo of the provincial government’s support for them to be able to peacefully reintegrated into the mainstream of society.” Robina Asido/DMS