BONGABON, Nueva Ecija — A total of 133 members of a farmer’s group linked to the New People’s Army (NPA) formally surrendered Saturday during a Peace Symposium in barangay Manggang Marikit, Guimba town.
The surrender was possible through the efforts of the 69th Infantry Battalion (69IB), municipal government of Guimba and Peace, Law Enforcement and Development Support Cluster of Provincial Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict.
“Malayang Aniban ng mga Magsasaka sa Manggang Marikit, Bagong Barrio at Yuson (MAMMBAYU) was established by NPA in the early 1990s under the Alyansang Magbubukid ng Gitnang Luzon. MAMMBAYU is the group responsible for illegally occupying the 100-hectares land at Hacienda Davis which was awarded to Lista Saka under the Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program of Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR). Backed by the NPA, MAMMBAYU continued to till even though DAR has issued orders to vacate the land in favor of Lista Saka. The land dispute has lasted for 28 years,” 703rd Brigade Commander Col. Andrew D. Costelo said.
“The mass surrender of MAMMBAYU members is a remarkable achievement in our anti-insurgency campaign. They have been deceived and exploited for almost three decades. Through the continued Community Support Program conducted by 69IB in Guimba, peace and development was again restored,” Costelo added. (CLJD/WLB-PIA 3)
