TACLOBAN CITY — Two alleged members of the New People’s Army (NPA) have surrendered to the Regional Mobile Force Battalion 8 (RMFB-8), marking another breakthrough in the police force’s intensified campaign to dismantle remaining insurgent elements across Eastern Visayas.

According to RMFB-8, the first surrenderee — known by the alias “Kapgo” — is a yunit militia member under the Regional Guerilla Unit of the Eastern Visayas Regional Party Committee (EVRPC). He surrendered at the 801st Maneuver Company headquarters in Arteche, Eastern Samar after a series of negotiations.

The second surrenderee, identified as “Larry,” a 39-year-old farmer and member of the Pambansang Kilusan ng Magsasaka (PKM), an affiliated underground mass organization of the communist insurgency, yielded through the joint efforts of the 801st Maneuver Company, the Provincial Intelligence Team–Northern Samar, and RIU-8.

Both individuals are now under the custody of the 801st MC for documentation and processing of their enrollment under the Enhanced Comprehensive Local Integration Program (E-CLIP), which provides livelihood assistance, financial aid, and reintegration support for former rebels.

RMFB-8 officials said the peaceful surrender of the two reflects improving trust and cooperation between communities and security forces.

The surrender coincided with another operational success by RMFB-8 after the 801st Maneuver Company recovered a cache of firearms, explosive materials, and subversive documents in a mountainous area of Barangay Inayawan, Arteche, Eastern Samar on November 28.

Led by PLt. Moses Medina, the unit recovered a home-made shotgun, a laptop, one kilogram of ammonium nitrate, deformed steel bars and nails used for improvised explosive devices (IEDs), and other logistical materials suspected to have been intended for future communist terrorist group (CTG) operations. Police said the documents seized are of high intelligence value.

Authorities said the discovery of the firearms cache neutralized a potential security threat to nearby upland communities still recovering from recent insurgency-related disruptions.
The recovered items are now under the temporary custody of the 801st MC and will be turned over to appropriate PNP units for proper documentation and disposition.

PLtCol. Dionesio Maestre Jr., officer-in-charge of RMFB-8, commended the accomplishments of the 801st MC, calling the simultaneous gains “a critical win for peace.”

“The voluntary surrenders and the massive recovery of war materiel demonstrate the effectiveness of our operational strategy and, more importantly, the growing trust our communities place in RMFB-8,” he said.

Police authorities vowed to continue security and community-based efforts to encourage more rebels to return to the fold of the law and prevent insurgent groups from rebuilding their networks and capabilities in Eastern Visayas.

(ROEL T. AMAZONA)

TACLOBAN CITY — A member of the New People’s Army (NPA) was killed while five high-powered firearms were seized following an encounter between government troops and communist rebels in Barangay Nipa, Palapag, Northern Samar, on Saturday, November 29.
The firefight erupted early morning when soldiers of the 8th Infantry Division conducting security operations clashed with members of the Sub-Regional Committee (SRC) Arctic of the Eastern Visayas Regional Party Committee (EVRPC).

The rebels were reportedly positioned in a hideout rigged with anti-personnel mines, which are banned under international humanitarian law.

Close air support was called in after the troops encountered strong resistance, resulting in the death of one rebel and the recovery of the seized firearms and other war materiel. Several NPA members managed to escape, prompting soldiers to launch pursuit operations.
According to the Army, the operation stemmed from persistent reports from civilians claiming that the communist rebels had been extorting farmers and harassing communities still rebuilding from the impacts of Typhoon Tino and Typhoon Uwan.

The 8th Infantry Division condemned what it described as deliberate attempts by communist rebels to destabilize peace and security in the area, citing their use of banned explosives as a “blatant disregard” of measures to protect civilians.

The division vowed to continue focused military operations to dismantle remaining NPA formations in Eastern Visayas.

(JOEY A. GABIETA)

ORMOC CITY — Three sachets containing a white crystalline substance suspected to be shabu were seized from a delivery driver during a buy-bust operation conducted by the Station Drug Enforcement Team of the local police at around 11:09 p.m. on Saturday, November 29, in Barangay San Isidro, Saint Bernard, Southern Leyte.

The suspect, identified only by the alias “Jade,” 31, single, and a resident of Barangay San Isidro, was arrested after allegedly selling one sachet of suspected shabu to an undercover operative for P1,000.

During the body search, conducted in the presence of law-mandated witnesses, two additional sachets of suspected shabu were recovered. Police also seized the P1,000 marked money used in the operation and cash totaling P19,941 in different denominations.
The suspect was informed of the nature of his arrest and apprised of his constitutional rights in a language he could understand.

Charges for violations of Republic Act 9165, the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002, are being prepared against the suspect, who is now temporarily detained at the locked-up cell of the Saint Bernard Municipal Police Station.

(ROBERT DEJON)