NEGROS ORIENTAL — Three former members of the Communist Party of the Philippines-New People's Army (CPP-NPA) have surrendered to local authorities, driven by the desire to return to their families in southern Negros Oriental.
According to Philippines News Agency, acting Civil-Military Operations chief of the Philippine Army's 11th Infantry Battalion, the individuals, known by their aliases Ann, Ensoy/Renzo, and Clifford, were part of the dismantled South East Front (SEF). Their surrender was reported on Friday, with motivations rooted in familial ties—Ensoy/Renzo and Clifford both have young families, and their wives, also ex-NPA members, had surrendered earlier.
Ensoy/Renzo and Clifford turned in their weapons during their surrender; an M-16 rifle and a caliber .45 handgun were among the arms recovered by the authorities. Their wives, known by the aliases Maine and Aubrey, had surrendered in December 2023 and January 2024, respectively.
The Philippine News Agency learned from Lt. Campeon that the decision for these men to surrender was heavily influenced by their wives, who appealed to them through social media. One of the wives recently gave birth at the Negros Oriental Provincial Hospital.
Following their surrender, the former rebels were debriefed and subsequently presented to Governor Manuel Sagarbarria, who leads the Provincial Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict. The administration is now facilitating their entry into the Enhanced Comprehensive Local Integration Program (E-CLIP) to assist them in reintegrating into society.