BRGY. TILING, Cauayan – Eight former and active members of the New People's Army operating in southern Negros gave themselves up to the 61 st Infantry Battalion and surrendered 16 high-powered firearms, the military said.

In return, the “surrenderees” got P30,000 for each firearm.

Lt. Col. Romeo Basco, 61 st IB commanding officer, yesterday said two of the eight rebel returnees surrendered three high-powered firearms each, consisting of four M-16 armalite rifles, a KG 9mm machine pistol and a carbine.

Basco said one rebel returnee got P90,000 for the three high-powered guns he had surrendered.

Military records show the eight rebel returnees used to be members of the Southwest and Southeast Front Committees of the New People's Army and operating in the hinterlands of southern portions of Negros Occidental and Oriental.

Basco said the latest rebel returnee who availed of the Balik-Baril program gave himself up the 61 st IB on Jan. 15 and surrendered another M-16 assault rifle with ammunition.

Twelve officers and enlisted personnel of the 61 st IB who facilitated the surrender of eight rebels and the arrest of rebel leader Raul Villar, alias Ka Drilon, who has a P800,000 reward for his capture, yesterday got Bronze Cross and Military Merit Medals, in recognition of their efforts.

Col. Honorato de los Reyes, 303 rd Infantry Brigade commander, assisted by Basco, led the awarding of medals to the 12 soldiers as the 61 st IB marked yesterday its 21 st founding anniversary.

Instead of engaging them in gunbattles, Basco said they were able convince them to surrender, to avoid bloodshed in both sides.

The identities of eight rebel returnees who surrendered to the 61 st Infantry Battalion since last year, were withheld by the military for security reasons, Basco, however, said some of them are now working for the surrender of their comrades.

Basco added they also have received numerous surrender feelers even from the squad leaders of the NPA who are tired of running away from government forces.

The military is paying P30,000 for every automatic rifle surrendered by a rebel returnee under its Balik-Baril program.*GPB.

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