By Dominique Gabriel G. Bañaga

Four members of the New People’s Army (NPA)-Leonardo Panaligan Command surrendered to authorities in Negros Oriental’s Guihulngan City on Friday, October 16,.

Authorities identified the four as Jone “Dim/Dem” Alfuerto, Deito “Mar” Ferolino, Snooky “Noky” Mejio, and Rodrigo Fat. They are all members of the Komiteng Rehiyon-Negros/Cebu/Bohol/Siquijor of the Communist Party of the Philippines.

Captain Ramond Jamisal, Civil-Military Operations Officer of the Philippine Army’s 62nd Infantry Battalion, said the four insurgents surrendered to officials of the Guihulngan City Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (CTF-ELCAC).

Alfuerto and Mejio also yielded their .38 caliber revolvers to local authorities.

Meanwhile, Guihulngan City Mayor Carlo Jorge Joan Reyes said they now have six former NPA insurgents in custody, as well as 25 NPA supporters.

Reyes said they expect more to follow as other insurgents are now in contact with them expressing their intention to also surrender.

“These waves of victories are what will ultimately become the tidal wave to wipe out insurgency in the city,” he said.

The mayor added it is a cataclysmic change which has been fueled by the cooperation of an awakened citizenry and the might of all the government agencies comprising the CTF-ELCAC./DGB, WDJ