SULTAN NAGA DIMAPORO, Lanao del Norte (PIA)--After the successful surrender of two former combatants of the Communist Party of the Philippines - New People’s Army (CPP-NPA) to authorities here,  the government forces saw the significance of communication in negotiations for peace.

Col. Rey Alemania, commander of the 2nd Mechanized Infantry “Magbalantay” Brigade, said it only takes good communication with the active NPA combatants to successfully convince them to surrender to government forces.

“Ang nakita natin dito kailangan lang talaga macontact natin sila at maka-usap kasi alam naman natin na nagdadalawang-isip sila kung gaano katotoo ang ating programa at ang pananakot na sinasabi ng kanilang mga pinuno na kapag sila ay bababa at mahuli ng army o pulis ay totorturin sila,” he said.

[What we saw here is that we really need to contact them so that we can talk to them because as we know, they are doubting as to how true our program is and the threat their leaders say that if they go down and are seized by the army or police, they will be tortured.]

Alemania said the new returnees in the town voluntarily surfaced after one of their personnel under the 5th Mechanized Infantry “Kaagapay” Battalion communicated with them through a simple text message explaining the program of the government. This led to their eventual surrender together with their firearms and ammunition.

He stressed that this is a manifestation that the whole-of-nation approach implemented by the Municipal Task Force to End Local Communist and Armed Conflict (MTF-ELCAC) rightly fits those who want to return to mainstream society.

“Ito ay isang pagpapatunay na ibang-iba ang programa ng ating gobyerno para sa kapatid natin na gustong bumaba. Nakaprepare ang ating programa sa pamamagitan ng E-CLIP (Enhanced Comprehensive Local Integration Program). Nakahanda ang ating Municipal Task Force-ELCAC na ibigay ang lahat ng suportang sa tingin natin ay kinakailangan nila,” said Alemania.

[This is proof that the program of our government is unique for our brothers and sisters who want to go down. Our program is prepared through the E-CLIP (Enhanced Comprehensive Local Integration Program). Our Municipal Task Force-ELCAC is prepared to provide all the support which we think they need.]

The commander further said they continue processing those who want to yield as there have been active members contacting the government force directly after observing the current situation of the returnees who are well taken care of instead of getting tortured.

Meanwhile, Alemania conveyed that there is an only insignificant intervention of communist-terrorist groups in the locality and in the province and their operating members just opt to yield specifically in the municipality of Sultan Naga Dimaporo.

“Medyo mahina ang communist-terrorist group dito sa lugar natin, sa kabuuan ng Lanao del Norte pero nakikita ng mga kapatid sa labas na napakaganda ng sistema natin sa mga bayan when it comes to implementation of Task Force-ELCAC natin. Maganda ang sistema na pangmunisipyo at pangprobinsya kaya pinipili nila ang probinsya natin na dito sila magsurrender kasi may tiwala sila na sila ay maasikaso ng maayos,” he said.

[The communist-terrorist group in our area is weak, generally in Lanao del Norte but our brothers and sisters outside see that our system in the towns is very good when it comes to implementation of our Task Force-ELCAC. The system is very good as it is especially for towns and the province that is why they choose to surrender in our province because they trust that they will be handled well.] (CRG/PIA-ICIC)