More than 200 NPAs surrender to the military in Surigao del Norte

February 17, 2019

A barangay which is one of the Peace and Development Zone in the Caraga region declared New People's Army (NPAs) as persona non grata after 28 of its militia members surrendered to the elements of 30th Infantry Battalion of the 4th Infantry Division last Friday.

During the formal declaration led by Inday Flor B. Bangga, barangay chairwoman of Camam-onan and the surrender ceremony presided by Gigaquit Mayor Elvira Egay, some 267 NPA members withdrew their support and pledged their oath of allegiance to the government, the military's Eastern Mindanao Command said in a press release on Sunday.

Barangay Camam-onan of Gigaquit is one among the barangays considered as conflict affected areas in the province of Surigao del Norte. It was also among barangays declared as Peace and Development Zone (PDZ) that was launched last August 28, 2018.

Major Gen Felimon Santos Jr ., head of the Eastern Mindanao Command, expressed his appreciation.

"We can achieve peace that we are longing and cut the cycle of insurgency if we put our acts together and resolve issues and concern being used by the NPAs as propaganda subjects," Santos said. DMS