(Eagle News) — The Philippine National Police will continue to accept Communist rebels who surrender.
PNP Chief Debold Sinas made the statement after President Rodrigo Duterte’s said there would be no ceasefire between the government and the rebels this holiday season.
“…The PNP will welcome and provide assistance to CPP-NPA members who will lay down their arms and come down from the hills to join their families for the traditional holiday. We understand where they are coming from and government is offering them this life-changing opportunity,” he said.
In fact, the PNP said it accepted the surrender on Wednesday of five CPP-NPA members in Eastern Visayas.
Reports reaching the PNP Command Center from Eastern Visayas PNP Regional Director, Police Brigadier General Ronaldo De Jesus said also surrendered by the five were three cal.45 pistols and a 5.56mm Bushmaster assault rifle.
De Jesus said the five ex-rebels are undergoing debriefing and processing of possible government benefits under the E-CLIP or Enhanced Comprehensive Local integration Program.
The rebel-returnees were operating in the Samar island under the SRC Browser, and Jorge Bolita Command of the CPP-NPA Eastern Visayas Regional Party Committee, the PNP said.
Earlier, the President said a holiday ceasefire and peace negotiations with the rebels were “dead.”