HINABANGAN, Samar -- Former members of the New People's Army (NPA) in Samar surrenderd a total of 17 assorted high-powered firearms (HPFAs) to the Provincial Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (PTF ELCAC) of Samar through the Philippine Army during the month of September.

The locations of these firearms cached in different areas were voluntarily revealed by NPAs who recently surrrendered to army units under 801st Brigade and 803rd Brigade of the Army's 8th Infantry Division.

On the second week of September, one former rebel fighter from the Main Regional Guerrilla Unit (MRGU), EVRPC led the troops of 87th Infantry Battalion to an arms cached in the remote area of Paranas, Samar where four (4) HPFAs were recovered comprising of one (1) crew-served weapon (M60 General Purpose Machine Gun), two (2) AK-47 automatic rifles and one (1) M4 automatic rifle, and several magazines.

On the 3rd week of this month, a former rebel also led the government troops to another large arms cached in a remote area in Brgy Bay-ang, San Jorge, Samar. Ten (10) HPFAs were recovered that were placed in blue plastic drums and buried underground. The second large haul of HPFAs consists of five (5) M16 rifles, four (4) AK-47 automatic rifles and one M4 rifle, with several magazines.

The soldiers acted on the revelations of former rebels and similar information given by tipsters. They all revealed that the NPAs have stockpiled their firearms in forested areas in Paranas and San Jorge, Samar. In addition to the large arms caches that were revealed by former rebels in San Jorge and Paranas, three more firearms consisting of one (1) M16 rifle and two (2) cal. 45 pistols were surrendered by three (3) milisyang bayan, out of the twelve(12) surrenderers to 46IB and 78IB in Pinabacdao, Calbiga, and Hinabangan.

During the National Peace Conciousness Month of September, there was a notable increase on the number of surrenderees from Samar who have shown their dissatisfactions toward the NPAs. Likewise, volunteer informants have increased, because they are already fed up with the constant foraging and extortion of the NPAs for food and financial support. Some barangay leaders are coerced and threatened by the NPAs to share their barangays' Internal Revenue Allotments. They say that the rebels are losing their support, and that the people of Samar are already displeased with them.

The tipsters and former NPA and milisyang bayan members who revealed and surrendered the numerous HPFAs are sure to receive the benefits entitled to them under the Comprehensive Local Integration Program (E-CLIP) and Local Social Integration Program (LSIP).

Recently, former members of Guerilla Front DAMOL in Villareal, Samar headed by alias DORRY who surrendered as a group, already received more than P3 million worth of financial assistance from the Provincial Grovernment of Samar through its LSIP. Additional benefits both financial and livelihood assistances are expected to be given through the E-CLIP.

The Commander of 801st Brigade, Colonel Lenart R. Lelina commended the troops of the 87IB and 46IB, together with the members the intelligence units for their hardwork and dedication to duty. Several military awards and recognitions were promptly given to deserving personnel.

He encouraged them to work closely with the local task forces ELCAC in order to entice more rebels to come and lay down their firearms.

During the first week of September, the municipal and city TFs ELCAC of San Jorge and Catbalogan coordinated and confered with their respective chairpersons of Brgy. TFs ELCAC to solicit and synchronize their efforts with the militay and police who are combing the hinterlands to flush out the rebel groups.

With the massive Community Support Programs and the interventions coming from the Local Government Units, the NPAs are now experiencing a crisis situation which is depletion of food and financial resources. BGen. Zosimo A. Oliveros, acting commander of the 8ID, instructed all the units to reach out to the relatives of the NPAs in Samar to return to folds of the law. (MMP/801st Brigade, 8ID)