Camp BGen Efigenio C Navarro, Calapan City, Oriental Mindoro – Police Regional Office MIMAROPA Regional Director, PBGEN JOEL BARGAMENTO DORIA, has lauded the government’s successful anti-insurgency efforts that resulted in the withdrawal of support from the communist rebellion of twenty (20) mass base supporters and sympathizers of the Communist Party of the Philippines – New People’s Army-National Democratic Front (CPP-NPA-NDF) in Palawan last week.

On Wednesday, March 23, nine (9) communist supporters in the municipality of Rizal, of the said province formally severed their ties with the CPP-NPA-NDF and pledged allegiance to the government’s anti-insurgency campaign in a ceremony held at the Gymnasium of Barangay Panalingaan, of the said town at around 10:00 AM.

The successful effort was facilitated by the elements of 1st Palawan Provincial Mobile Force Company led by PTCOL ELDIE M BANTAL, Force Commander, in collaboration with the personnel of Rizal Municipal Police Station, Palawan PPO Provincial Intelligence Unit, Provincial Intelligence Team-Palawan under Regional Intelligence 4B, 18th Special Forces Regiment, Naval Intelligence and Security Group West (NISGW), and the Kapatiran ng Dating Rebelde (KADRE) Palawan.

In a separate ceremony on Sunday, March 26, a total of eleven (11) communist supporters in the municipality of Roxas, of the said province also withdrew their support to CPP-NPA-NDF and swore support and loyalty to the government, held at the Function Hall of the Barangay Tagumpay, of the said locality at around 12:00 noon.

The activity was made possible through the efforts of the joint personnel of Joint Task Group-North/ Marine Battalion Landing Team-3 of the 3rd Marine Brigade (3MBde) and and 2nd Palawan Provincial Mobile Force Company led by PLTCOL MHARDIE R AZARES, Force Commander, in cooperation with the Local Government Unit of the said locality.

“They decided to sever their ties with the CPP-NPA-NDF and return to the folds of the government in order to have a peaceful and prosperous lives for the sake of their families and loved ones,” PBGEN DORIA said.

Records revealed that since January 1 this year, PRO MIMAROPA has already recorded a total of fifty-six (56) former NPA rebels who voluntary surrendered as a result of the PNP’s intensified anti-insurgency campaign in collaboration with the different AFP, concerned government agencies and the Local Government Units under the National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (NTF-ELCAC).

“This accomplishment is another solid proof of the success of the government’s campaign against terrorism and insurgency under the NTF-ELCAC,” PBGEN DORIA remarked.

“This is why we are urging those who are still in arms to yield and avail of government support so they may live a better life with their respective families at the comfort of their homes,” he added. – RPIO Police Regional Office Mimaropa