By MIKE U. CRISMUNDO
CAMP BANCASI, Butuan City – Two armed New People’s Army (NPA) terrorists and two members of Milisya ng Bayan (MB) voluntarily surrendered last week to the Army’s 66th Infantry (Kabalikat) Battalion (66th IB) in New Bataan, Compostela Valley (ComVal) province, 66th IB commander Lt. Col. Palmer M. Parungao said.
In a statement sent to The Manila Bulletin late afternoon yesterday, the 66th IB commander said the two NPA terrorists also gave up their one caliber .45 pistol loaded with live ammunitions and one 38 mm pistol loaded with live bullets, improvised explosive devices (IEDs) and other bomb-making materials including blasting caps and electrical wires to the 66th IB.
Their identities were temporarily withheld for security reason, but Parungao said they (surrenderees) were regular fighters of guerilla-Front Committee 27, SRC2 of the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP)-NPA Southern Mindanao Regional Committee (SMRC).
The two MB, who also belong to the same guerilla front committee, surrendered to “Alpha” Company of the 66th IB after also realizing the futility of what they are fighting for, Parungao also said.
On Jan. 9, combat maneuvering troops of the 66th IB seized several war materials from the NPA terrorists after their armed engagements in Sitio Spur Dos, Barangay Ngan, Compostela town, ComVal province.
“The unit’s sustained efforts prompted the said NPAs to surrender bringing along with them the war materials,” Parungao said.
“The 66th IB, continually runs after the NPA terrorists groups and we have been successfully reducing the manpower and equipage of our adversaries.