GENERAL SANTOS CITY – A New People’s Army (NPA) couple had reunited with their nine month-old after they surrendered to military authorities in Malita, Davao Occidental last Wednesday.
Lt. Col. Ronaldo Valdez, 73rd Infantry Battalion commander, identified the surrenderees as Tata Magandang, 35, and his 18-year-old wife, Donya Palapan, former team leader and medic, respectively of NPA-Guerilla Front 71 operating in Davao Occidental and Sarangani provinces.
They yielded two M-16 rifles and a .45-caliber pistol.
The couple, who joined the NPA in 2016, said they opted to surrender because of their desire to take care of their child who was turned over by the NPA local command to their contact in the lowlands, who served as nanny to the child.
They said their local commanders asked them to give up their responsibility to nurture the child so that they can devote their time to communist underground movement.
Following the surrender of the NPA couple, Valdez had immediately ordered to locate the family who took care of the child and convinced the latter to return the baby to his parents.
The couple denounced the inhuman indoctrination of the NPA wherein couple members of the NPA, the armed wing of the Communist Party of the Philippines , should give up their responsibilities as parents to be able to devote their time to the organization.
The couple was the third NPA couple who yielded to military authorities since last January. (Joseph Jubelag)