PRO-12 secures surrender of 15 NPAs
Mindanao Peace Process • 09:30 AM Thu Oct 27, 2022
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By:
John M. Unson
The 15 rebels each promised to respect the government Wednesday. (From PRO-12)
GENERAL CITY - Fifteen members of the New People’s Army, six of them from a group extorting “protection money” from traders, surrendered Wednesday.
They pledged allegiance to the government, before Brig Gen. Jamili Macaraeg of the Police Regional Office-12 and local executives, during a surrender rite held at the PRO-12 headquarters in Barangay Tambler here.
Six of the 15 NPAs confessed to their participation in the collection of monthly “protection money” from traders.
The 15 NPAs operated in upland towns in Region 12’s adjoining South Cotabato, Sultan Kudarat and Sarangani provinces, according to provincial police officials present in the event.
Macaraeg said he is thankful to the local executives, the municipal and provincial police officials who cooperated in securing the surrender of the 15 rebels via backchannel dialogues.
The PRO-12 provided the 15 men, mostly members of different indigenous communities, with initial food rations and other provisions after they pledged allegiance to the government in the presence of local officials.
No fewer than a hundred NPAs from different municipalities in Region 12 had surrendered in batches to units of PRO-12 in the past 24 months.
Macaraeg declined to reveal the names of the 15 NPAs who returned to the fold of law Wednesday for security reasons.
The NPA has a reputation for venting ire on members who have surrendered to the government and their relatives.