114 former NPA supporters, militias pledge loyalty to gov’t

BACOLOD CITY — A group of 114 former supporters and militias of the Communist Party of the Philippines-New People’s Army (CPP-NPA) in San Carlos City, Negros Occidental vowed loyalty to the government in a ceremony held at the Barangay 2 covered court on Monday.

Their oath of allegiance was facilitated by the Philippine Army’s 79th Infantry Battalion (IB), which covers the northern part of the province.

Lt. Col. Emelito Thaddeus Logan, commanding officer of the 79IB, said in a statement the participants’ renounciation of support to the CPP-NPA shows that Negrenses have awakened from the lies and deceptions of the terrorist rebels.

A total of 114 former supporters and militias of the Communist Party of the Philippines-New People’s Army in San Carlos City, Negros Occidental vowed loyalty to the government in a ceremony held at the Barangay 2 covered court on Monday (Feb.25, 2019).
*Photo courtesy of 79th Infantry Battalion, Philippine Army*

“I encourage other Negrenses to end their support to the rebel groups to reach the desired lasting peace and sustain the development of Negros Occidental,” he added.

The 114 participants, including 98 former mass supporters and 16 unit militias, took a pledge of allegiance to the Philippine Constitution before Steven Dronco, local government operations officer of the Department of the Interior and Local Government in San Carlos City.

They are residents of Barangays Quezon, Guadalupe, Buluangan, Nataban and Cod-cod.

The ceremony was witnessed by Mayor Gerardo Valmayor Jr. and Supt. D’ Artagnan Katalbas Jr., city chief of police, and officials from various barangays.

For his part, Valmayor thanked the 79IB for initiating the Community Support Program that provides security and assistance in the delivery of the government programs to his constituents.

Earlier, the 79IB also facilitated the conduct of the oath of allegiance of two groups, which also renounced support to the CPP-NPA, in two cities in northern Negros.

Last February 22, 80 former members and mass supporters of the CPP-NPA pledged loyalty to the government in Victorias City.

The participants are from Barangays Estado and Gawahon in Victorias City; Caduhaan in Cadiz City; Canlusong in EB Magalona; and San Pablo in Manapla.

The following day, 35 persons from Escalante City also expressed their loyalty to the Philippine government.

They included residents of Binaguiohan, Pinapugasan, Paitan, and Dian-ay, who took their oath of allegiance before Pastor Morito Panadero at the battalion’s headquarters in Barangay Bato, Sagay City.

The United States and the European Union have declared the CPP-NPA as a terrorist group. (PNA)

Source: http://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1062936

35 ex-NPA backers take oath of allegiance to gov’t

BACOLOD CITY — Some 35 residents of Escalante City, Negros Occidental were the latest group of former mass base supporters of the Communist Party of the Philippines-New People’s Army (CPP-NPA) who expressed their loyalty to the Philippine government.

The participants, who come from the villages of Binaguiohan, Pinapugasan, Paitan, and Dian-ay, took their oath of allegiance before Pastor Morito Panadero at the headquarters of the Philippine Army’s 79th Infantry Battalion in Barangay Bato, Sagay City on Saturday.

The 35 residents of Escalante City, Negros Occidental who took their oath of allegiance to the Philippine government at the headquarters of the Philippine Army’s 79th Infantry Battalion in Barangay Bato, Sagay City on Feb. 23, 2019.
Photo courtesy of 79th Infantry Battalion, Philippine Army

Lt. Col. Emelito Thaddeus Logan, commanding officer of the 79IB, in a statement on Sunday night, welcomed the decision of the Escalante City residents to renounce their support to the communist rebels.

Logan said he is thankful for the turnout of their campaign of encouraging the Negrenses to stop supporting the rebel groups to have lasting peace and progress in Negros Occidental.

Both the United States and the European Union have declared the CPP-NPA as a terrorist group.

The group of 35 is the second from northern Negros who took their oath of allegiance in a week after the 80 former members and mass supporters of the CPP-NPA who also pledged loyalty to the government in Victorias City on Friday, also through the 79IB.

Logan earlier said the groups denouncing support to the CPP-NPA came after a series of insurgency awareness sessions conducted by their community support program teams.

The 80 participants are from Barangays Estado and Gawahon in Victorias City; Caduhaan in Cadiz City; Canlusong in EB Magalona and San Pablo in Manapla. (PNA)

Source: http://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1062884

80 ex-NPA supporters in north Negros vow loyalty to gov’t

BACOLOD CITY — Some 80 former members and mass supporters of the Communist Party of the Philippines – New People’s Army (CPP-NPA) in northern Negros pledged loyalty to the government in a ceremony held at the covered court of Barangay 5 in Victorias City on Friday.

They took their oath of allegiance during the event that was initiated by the Philippine Army’s 79th Infantry Battalion (IB) based in Sagay City, Negros Occidental.

Some 80 former members and mass supporters of the Communist Party of the Philippines-New People’s Army from five villages in northern Negros take their oath of allegiance to the government in a ceremony held at the covered court of Barangay 5 inVictorias City on Friday (Feb. 22, 2019).
*Photo courtesy of 79^th Infantry Battalion, Philippine Army*

Lt. Col. Emelito Thaddeus Logan, commander of the 79th IB, said in a statement that this was the result of the series of insurgency awareness sessions conducted by their Community Support Program (CSP) teams.

“It made them realize the lies and deceptions of the communist terrorists. They voluntarily reached out to the government troops, shared their experiences, and revealed that they were providing support to the CPP-NPA,” he added.

They are from barangays Estado and Gawahon in Victorias City; Caduhaan in Cadiz City; Canlusong in EB Magalona; and San Pablo in Manapla.

Logan said the participants admitted providing material, financial, and moral support to the CPP-NPA and some of them even became fighters.

Others who took the oath included former Militia ng Bayan members and a courier.

Logan said the participants appreciated the efforts of the CSP teams and the local governments in addressing their issues and concerns to achieve lasting peace and development.

He also thanked the group for their cooperation, and the city government of Victorias for its unconditional support and partnership.

The United States and European Union have declared the CPP-NPA as a terrorist group. (PNA)

Source: http://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1062775