ZAMBOANGA CITY — A platoon leader of the New People’s Army (NPA) and two of his trusted aides surrendered to soldiers in Sultan Kudarat and turned over their high-powered firearms to the security forces as a gesture of their sincere desire to return to the folds of the law.
According to Joint Task Force Central acting commander Major General Roberto Capulong, the former NPAs surrendered to the 37th Infantry Battalion (IB) in Kalamansig, Sultan Kudarat on Sunday.
He identified the insurgent leader as Hadji alias Jok and Marianing, believed to be the Front Secretary of East Daguma Front and commanding officer of Platoon Baghdad, East Daguma Front, Sub-regional Committee Daguma, Far South Mindanao Region (FSMR).
His two aides, meantime, were identified as alias Joker and alias Leslie, a medic of Platoon Baghdad.
The trio also turned over one 5.56mm M16A1 rifle and one cal. 45 pistol as a gesture of their sincerity and their surrender was made possible through the intensified intelligence operations of the 37th, 57th, and 73rd IBs of the Philippine Army and of the 12th Regional Mobile Force Company and Kalamansig Municipal Police Station.
Armed Forces of the Philippines-Western Mindanao Command commander Lt. Gen. Alfredo Rosario, Jr said yesterday that the surrender of the three NPAs was an indication of the continuous downfall of SRC Daguma and subsequently of the FSMR.