Sultan Kudarat – Four members of the communist New People's Army (NPA) surrendered to the military in Sultan Kudarat, entering the government's Enhanced Comprehensive Local Integration Program. The surrender was facilitated by Armed Forces of the Philippines Western Mindanao Command (Westmincom) chief, Lt. Gen. William Gonzales, and Army's 6th Infantry Division commander Maj. Gen. Alex Rillera at the Army's 603rd Brigade (Bde) headquarters in Palimbang, Sultan Kudarat. Brig. Gen. Michael Santos, 603Bde commander and head of the Army-led Joint Task Force Central, reported that the rebels, facing military pressure and internal challenges, sought assistance.
According to Philippines News Agency, Palimbang Mayor Joenime Kapin provided the surrenderers with essential support, including rice, food packs, and financial aid. One of the former rebels, identified as 'Agpol,' expressed their desire to reunite with their families and return to normal life. The group, all from the NPA Sub-Regional Committee Daguma-Far South Mindanao Region (SRCD-FSMR), also handed over firearms, including two M16 rifles and two M14 rifles. Gonzales encouraged other insurgents to abandon their armed struggle and assured them of government support, financial assistance, and livelihood opportunities.
In a related development, a communist leader and seven followers surrendered to government forces in Surallah, South Cotabato. Lt. Col. Rey Egos, commander of South Cotabato police's 2nd provincial mobile force company, identified the leader as 'Yona', a 27-year-old secretary and political officer of the NPA's SRCD-FSMR. These surrenders are part of ongoing efforts to resolve the long-standing insurgency in the Philippines.