Five Cordillera rebels surrender to authorities

CAMP DANGWA, La Trinidad, Benguet -- Five members of the communist New People's Army (NPA) voluntarily surrendered without firearms to members of the Police Regional Office Cordillera and Philippine Army because of difficulty of life hiding in the mountains, a police report said.

With this, the report said, they would avail of benefits of the government’s social integration program and rejoin their families and relatives.

Chief Supt. Isagani Nerez, Cordillera police director said “they surrendered due to the hardship and difficulties they had experienced inside the rebel movement.

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According to the rebel returnees, they were persuaded to join the underground movement because of promises of NPA leaders who recruited them but such promises of good life among others turned to be false and instead allowed them to suffer hardship and difficulty in hiding from government forces in the mountains of the Cordillera.

“They joined the group because they believed that they will have a better life in the future, but it did not come true.” Nerez said.

The earliest to surrender was identified as George Boghong Pugong alias Sakay, 22, of Asipulo, Ifugao. 

He is one of the members of the Squad Dos, Nona Del Rosario Command, Samahang Partido sa Platoon (SPP) Ifugao.

He surrendered to members of the Intelligence Operatives of Regional Public Safety Battalion (RPSB) with family members.

Three members of the Leonardo Pacsi Command of the Kilusang Larangang Guerilla (KLG) also surrendered.