Occidental Mindoro government welcomes mass surrender, withdrawal of support of CPP-NPA-NDF supporters
CAMP CAPINPIN, Rizal - A Serbisyo Caravan led by the government forces led the surrender of 4 Milisyang Bayan members with firearms and the formal withdrawal of support of 265 residents to the CPP-NPA-NDF in Calintaan, Occidental Mindoro on Tuesday, December 5, 2023.
During the said caravan at barangay Popoy, the Calintaan Municipal Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict led by Hon. Mayor Dante C. Esteban, with assistance from the 68th Infantry "Kaagapay ng Mamamayan" Battalion, Occidental Mindoro PNP, and Calintaan PNP, facilitated the surrender of 4 Milisyang Bayan members with one rifle grenade, two home-made shotguns, an unserviceable lower receiver and upper receiver of an M16 rifle, and other subversive documents.
Additionally, 265 residents have also formally withdrawn their support to the communist party by voluntarily executing sworn statements condemning the communist group and pledging their allegiance to the government.
In a statement, the 2nd Infantry "Jungle Fighter" Division Commander Maj. Gen.
Roberto S. Capulong lauded the wise decision of the militias to heed the government's call for peace, adding that the growing support of the masses is a clear manifestation of the success of collaborative efforts between all the levels of government, the security sector, other government agencies, partner stakeholders, and the local communities.
Maj. Gen. Capulong also emphasized that the Serbisyo Caravan not only addresses immediate concerns but also lays the groundwork for sustainable peace and development in the region, noting that the significant number of residents withdrawing support from the CPP-NPA-NDF reflects a positive shift in the sentiments of the community and reinforcing the government's commitment to eradicating insurgency and building a future founded on unity and progress in the entire Mindoro Island.