SULTAN NAGA DIMAPORO, Lanao del Norte (PIA)--As two more former members of the Communist Party of the Philippines - New People’s Army (CPP-NPA) return to the fold of the law,  false accusations against the government, especially the security sector are trashed.

Alias Harold said assertions that surrenderers are being tortured after surfacing are far from the truth as he, himself, witnessed the reality.

“Dako akong pasalamat nga dili diay tinuod ang ilang gipangsulti nga kung musurrender ka sa gobyerno o sa kaubanang army, torturon ug patyon. Nakita namo ang kinasingkasing nga pagdawat sa kaubanan [nga army] nga dili gyud tinuod ilang gipangsulti,” he said.

[I am very thankful that what they say is not true that if you surrender to the government or to the army, you will be tortured or killed. We saw the heartfelt acceptance of our companion [in the army], that what they say is not really true.]

Alias Harold said it was even the CPP-NPA that deceived them as they were made-believe that the rebel group was the key to addressing the major problems of the country.

Another returnee alias Dotdot, who was still underage when recruited by the CPP-NPA, also attested that the government is not harsh to former rebels like him since they are accommodated well

“Ang gobyerno dautan daw. Karon nakagawas ko, dili dautan ang gobyerno, nindot kaayo mudala sa amoa nga ingani na. Among armas among gisurrender. Pasalamat mi nga gidawat mi nila,”

[They say the government is evil. Now that I am already out, the government is not evil, they cater to us well, just like now. We also surrendered our firearms. We are thankful that they accepted us.]

Provincial Board Member Achmad Taha representing Governor Imelda Quibranza-Dimaporo complimented the efforts of the former combatants to voluntarily surrender to the government forces.

Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) - Lanao del Norte Provincial Director Bruce Colao praised them as they became means to depict the otherwise propagated claims against the government. 

“Kami nagpasalamat nga adunay maayong ihemplo dinhi pinaagi ni ka-Dotdot ug ka-Harold nag nagtahan sa ilang kaugalingon para makita usab sa uban nga wala sila pasagdi,” he said.

[We are thankful that there is a good influence here through ka-Dotdot and ka-Harold who surrendered themselves so that others may also see that they are not disregarded.] (CRG/PIA-ICIC)