A farmer from Leyte and a female militia member from Eastern Samar separately walked away from the Communist Terrorist Group (CTG) on August 26, 2026, surrendering to Philippine National Police units operating across Eastern Visayas. One of the two turned over a .38-caliber revolver with a defaced serial number, according to the PNP Public Information Office.
Leyte: 57-Year-Old Farmer Abandons Armed Struggle
The first surrender took place in the province of Leyte, where personnel of the 1st Leyte Provincial Mobile Force Company (1st LPMFC), acting in coordination with the Baybay City Police Station and the Provincial Intelligence Unit 8–Leyte Police Provincial Office (PIU8-LPPO), received the voluntary surrender of a rebel known by the alias “Nilo.”
The PNP identified alias “Nilo” as a 57-year-old Filipino male farmer residing in Mahaplag, Leyte. He was a former member of IC-LEVOX, an armed unit operating under the Eastern Visayas Regional Party Committee (EVRPC). No firearm was recovered from alias “Nilo” at the time of his surrender.
Eastern Samar: Yunit Militia Member Hands Over Firearm
The second surrender unfolded in Eastern Samar, where elements of the 1st Eastern Samar Provincial Mobile Force Company (1st ESPMC), working alongside the Provincial Intelligence Unit of the Eastern Samar Police Provincial Office (PIU-ESPPO), facilitated the surrender of alias “Jenna.”
According to the PNP Public Information Office, alias “Jenna” is a 29-year-old female resident of Oras, Eastern Samar. She formerly served as a Yunit Militia member of FC-15 under the Sub-Regional Committee (SRC), ARCTIC, EVRPC, and operated under the command of a leader identified by the alias “Ka-Wayon.”
At the time of her surrender, alias “Jenna” turned over one caliber .38 revolver bearing no markings, a defaced serial number, and no loaded ammunition. The PNP said the firearm was immediately secured by responding police officers for documentation and appropriate legal disposition.
Both Individuals Now in Police Custody for Processing
The PNP confirmed that both alias “Nilo” and alias “Jenna” are currently under the custody of their respective handling police units while documentation and proper disposition procedures are carried out. The two are likewise being evaluated for possible enrollment in the government’s Enhanced Comprehensive Local Integration Program, commonly referred to as E-CLIP.
The E-CLIP provides assistance packages — including livelihood support, financial aid, and other reintegration benefits — to former rebels who voluntarily choose to return to civilian life and sever ties with armed groups. Enrollment in the program is subject to review and verification by relevant government agencies.
PNP Chief Nartatez Cites Surrenders as Proof of Strategy’s Effectiveness
PNP Chief General Jose Melencio C. Nartatez Jr., under whose command the operations were carried out, emphasized the importance of these voluntary surrenders within the agency’s broader peace and security framework.
“These voluntary surrenders show that our efforts to address armed threats must be matched by opportunities for individuals to leave the conflict behind. We will remain firm in protecting communities while supporting those who genuinely choose to return to peaceful and lawful lives,” Nartatez said, as quoted by the PNP Public Information Office.
General Nartatez also addressed those still in the armed movement, appealing in Filipino: “May pagkakataon pa para sa mga nais nang talikuran ang armadong pakikibaka at magsimulang muli. Hinihikayat natin silang piliin ang kapayapaan at makipagtulungan sa pamahalaan para sa mas maayos na kinabukasan.”
In English, the appeal translates to: “There is still an opportunity for those who wish to abandon armed struggle and start anew. We encourage them to choose peace and cooperate with the government for a better future.”
Operations Aligned with PNP Focused Agenda and Presidential Directive
The PNP Public Information Office said the two surrenders contribute directly to the PNP Focused Agenda, a transformation framework designed to make police service more responsive, community-oriented, and effective. A central pillar of that agenda is Active Community Support, which promotes the peaceful reintegration of former armed combatants into mainstream society.
Both operations were also conducted in alignment with the directives of President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. The PNP reiterated its commitment to its public service thrust: “Bagong PNP para sa Bagong Pilipinas: Serbisyong Mabilis, Tapat, at Nararamdaman” — or “A New PNP for a New Philippines: Service that is Fast, Honest, and Felt.”
By the Numbers
- 2 — Total CTG members who surrendered across Eastern Visayas on August 26, 2026
- 57 — Age of alias “Nilo,” a farmer from Mahaplag, Leyte
- 29 — Age of alias “Jenna,” a resident of Oras, Eastern Samar
- 1 — Unregistered caliber .38 revolver recovered, with defaced serial number and no ammunition
Why This Matters
The voluntary surrenders of two CTG members in a single day across Eastern Visayas illustrate the PNP’s dual-track approach to internal security: sustained law enforcement pressure combined with structured pathways for reintegration through programs like E-CLIP. The seizure of an unregistered revolver with a defaced serial number highlights the persistent threat that armed CTG members pose to public safety, even those operating at the militia level. Should both surrenderees qualify for E-CLIP enrollment, their cases will also serve as tangible examples of the government’s commitment to drawing combatants away from armed conflict through civilian support mechanisms.
Source: PNP Public Information Office
