15-year-old leaves rebel group, surrenders in NCotabato

NORTH COTABATO, Philippines --- A 15-year-old member of the New People’s Army bolted from the group and  surrendered to the military on Sunday.

Col. Nilo Vinluan, commanding officer of the Army’s 57th Infantry Battalion, said Ka Balong, son of a former militiaman in Valencia City in Bukidnon, will be turned over to the Department of Social Welfare and Development for rehabilitation.

Vinluan said the minor decided to surrender to the police and the military to be reunited with his family in Bukidnon.

The 15-year-old NPA recruit had told investigators that he was forced to join the NPA after rebels executed his father two years ago and threatened his family for purportedly helping  the Army’s pacification campaign in Valencia City.

He said there are still nine other minors in their group, whose camp he left last weekend as he ran away and turned himself in to authorities in a secluded area at the hinterland border of Magpet town in North Cotabato and Kidapawan City.

Vinluan said Ka Balong walked for 13 hours in the forested hinterlands separating Bukidnon and North Cotabato without food until he reached a secluded barangay in Kidapawan City, whose community leaders helped facilitate his surrender to authorities. - John Unson