A former communist rebel has turned himself in to authorities in Oriental Mindoro, considered a milestone in the government’s ongoing reconciliation efforts with insurgents.
The 55-year-old Mindoreño, known by his alias “Ka Kore”, surrendered to police and military units in Bongabong town on Thursday.
He was previously associated with the New People’s Army (NPA), the armed wing of the Communist Party of the Philippines.
The surrender was coordinated by multiple security forces, including Bongabong police, military intelligence units, and special action forces in MIMAROPA region.
Officials say Ka Kore will be enrolled in the government’s Enhanced Comprehensive Local Integration Program (E-CLIP), which provides former rebels with financial assistance and skills training to help them reintegrate into civilian life.
The NPA has waged one of Asia’s longest-running insurgencies, though its influence has waned in recent years as more members accept government amnesty offers.
“This surrender demonstrates our ongoing commitment to peaceful reconciliation,” said Police Brigadier General Roger Quesada, the regional police director, in a statement.
The country’s communist insurgency, which began in 1969, has claimed thousands of lives.
The current administration continues to encourage active rebels to surrender through various reintegration programs.
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