NPA Commander, 2 More Give Up in Surigao del Sur

A New People’s Army (NPA) commander and two other rebel leaders had turned themselves in to authorities in Tandag City on Sunday, June 24, 2018.

Mayor Alexander “Ayek” Pimentel, along with PNP and AFP officers, presented to media Hermano Quezada alias Rado/Barad, commanding officer (CO) of Sentro de Grabidad (SDG) platoon of Guerilla Front (GF) 30 under the Northeastern Mindanao Regional Committee (NEMRC) together with two other leaders.

They were identified as Donita Martinez alias Clara, medical team leader, and Romanito Molino alias Tata, team leader of Team Baking, Squad Uno, all of SDG platoon, GF-30 of NEMRC.

Cpt. Al Anthony Pueblas, civil military operations (CMO) officer of the 402nd Infantry (Stingers) Brigade, who acted as moderator during the press conference held at Tandag City Police Station (TCPS) at 8:30 a.m. on Tuesday, June 26, narrated the surrounding circumstances prior to the surrender of the rebel leaders.

At the head table, Mayor Pimentel were flanked by PSupt. Joseph Boquiren, Deputy Provincial Director for Administration (DPDA) and PCI Ray Sorreda, Chief of Police of Tandag City Police Station on his right while on the left were Lt. Col. Xerxes Trinidad, 36th Infantry Battalion Commander of the Philippine Army (PA) and City Councilor Rey-Vic “Dodo” Geli, chair of the Committee on Finance and Appropriation of the Sangguniang Panlungsod.

The CMO said what happened was a joint effort, citing the close coordination made between and among local officials from Barangay Maticdum up to Mayor Pimentel, as well as the top brass of the PNP and AFP here.

It was learned from PCI Sorreda that it all started a couple of weeks ago from a “concerned citizen tip-off” that some rebel leaders would want to get out of the movement.

Ka Rado confirmed that on top of the “hardships” being experienced and “false hope in the organization” plus the “‘unfair treatment of senior and superior cadres,” the imposition of Martial Law was pointed out to have been potent in constricting their movement.

In addition, the rebel leader stressed that he trusted the administration of President Rodrigo Duterte.

Since their organization was already tagged as a terrorist organization by President Duterte, Ka Rado bared that their mass-based supporters had kept on “dwindling down.”

During the press briefing, Mayor Pimentel had given all three surrenderers personal money amounting to Php40,000. It was learned that Ka Rado was handed Php20,000 while the two others were each given Php10,000.

As the city dad called on other active rebels to come down and return to the fold of law, he likewise assured the new surrenderers not only of security and safety but more aid from the Duterte administration and from the local government of Gov. Vicente “BB” Pimentel, Jr. as well. (Radyo Pilipinas-Tandag/PIA-Surigao del Sur)