TAGBILARAN CITY, Bohol, Jan. 23 (PIA) -- In the wake of the surrender of a key underground movement official in November, three more members of the remnants of the Bohol Party Committee of the New People's Army (NPA) are reportedly sending out surrender feelers. 

This after the local armed terrorist members of the disbanded NPA are slowly realizing their lost cause coupled with major setbacks and the recent death of their visionary founder Joma Sison.

Romeo Teruel, Bohol’s Ending Local Communist Armed Conflict (ELCAC) executive assistant to Gov. Erico Aristotle Aumentado, shared with the Provincial Peace and Order Council (PPOC) that he hopes Bohol can seal the deal with three more members of the 11 known remnants of the disbanded rebel organization. 

Teruel’s information also came a few weeks after the community in Brgy. Baunos in San Isidro reported to the military the presence of armed men camped at the isolated Sitio Bajong, after a visitation activity of their former members on Dec. 28, 2022. 

The ensuing encounter for about 10 minutes left both the government troops and the rebel army without any casualties.

The government troops, however, recovered from the temporary encampment site some subversive documents, medicine kits, AK 47 assault rifle magazine and ammunitions, caliber 45 pistol ammunitions, poncho tents, food packs, and personal belongings.

About two years ago, the biggest armed encounter between the government troops and the remnants of the rebel movement in recent years happened in Cabacnitan in Bilar, Bohol, which left a key official of the movement and several members dead. 

The fateful encounter between the rebels and government troops also happened after residents reported the presence of the armed group in their area.   

The encounter also hastened the progress of the campaign for peace as the brother of an NPA killed in action formally surrendered to the local officials in exchange for a peaceful life.

As this happened, a 47the Infantry Brigade official representing Col. Allyson Depayso said the enemy under the defunct Bohol Party Committee is now comprised of alias Ka Eloy as squad leader, alias Ka Boy or Loloy, alias Ka Jusper, alias Ka Billy, alias Ka Brando, alias Ka Rico, alias Ka Benjil, alias Ka Diego, and Alias Ka Aldren remaining with only 10 firearms and no barangays to harbor them.

In view of this, PPOC Chair Gov. Erico Aristotle Aumentado cited the series of incidents as a signal that terror in Bohol is about to end.

He then called on Boholanos in charge of internal security operations, the police as well as the communities, to continue and intensify all efforts to make Bohol insurgency-free. (RAHC/PIA7 Bohol)