Two more active members of the New People’s Army operating in the south eastern part of Negros Oriental decided to give up the armed struggle and surrendered to the 79th Infantry Battalion, the military said yesterday.

Capt. Reylan Java, Public Affairs chief of the Army’s 3rd Infantry Division, said the two NPA red fighters, identified as Ronnie Barrera, alias Ka Jony, of Brgy. Talalac, Santa Catalina, and Bartolome Quitay, alias Ka Benjie, now want to live peacefully, with their families.

Java said Barrera confessed to be a member of the Sentro de Grabidad Platoon 2, while Quitay belonged to the Palmolive platoon, both of the South East Front of the Komiteng Rehiyonal Sentral Bisayas.

Their surrender came several days after a minor, who confessed to be also an NPA member, surrendered last week to the 79th Infantry Battalion in Zamboanguita, Negros Oriental, military records show.

Java said the three rebel returnees narrated the hardship they went through because of the sustained combat operations of the Army, which made them realize the futility of the armed struggle.

They claimed they realized that the AFP is sincere in its offer of peace and safety for those who want to surrender.

Maj. Antonio Tumnog, commander of the 3rd Civil Military Operations Battalion, said Quitay also said he is already tired of hiding in the mountains.

Three companies of 3rd CMOB have been deployed in the hinterlands of southern Negros, to spearhead the implementation of the Army’s non-traditional military activities.

The 11th Infantry Battalion, meanwhile, participated in the bloodletting activity initiated by Vice-Mayor Jose Chubasco Cardenas in Canlaon City, Negros Oriental on Sept. 9, with soldiers and civilians donating more than 20,000 cc of blood.

Two days after, the 11th IB soldiers also joined the clean-up drive at the public market of La Libertad, Negros Oriental, spearheaded by Vice-Mayor Manuel Iway.

They also held a fire and earthquake drill for 200 students of St. Francis Academy in Vallehermoso, Negros Oriental, in tandem with the Bureau of Fire and Protection. * GPB

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