(PAGASA 24-HOUR PUBLIC WEATHER FORECAST as of Wednesday, 09 July 2025) The Southwest Monsoon (Habagat) continues to affect Mindanao. FORECAST: The Zamboanga Peninsula will experience cloudy skies with scattered rain showers and thunderstorms due to the Southwest Monsoon. These conditions may lead to possible flash floods or landslides, especially during moderate to occasionally heavy rainfall. The rest of Mindanao will have partly cloudy to cloudy skies with isolated rain showers or thunderstorms also influenced by the Southwest Monsoon. Winds will be light to moderate from the southwest, with slight to moderate seas (wave height between 0.6 to 2.1 meters).


Wednesday, June 28, 2023

CTG official, members surrender in SurSur

SURIGAO DEL SUR - A top leader of the communist terrorist group (CTG) and three members voluntarily surrendered to the government troops of the 36th Infantry "Valor" Battalion under Lt. Col. Vincent M Viray, on June 22, 2023 at its headquarters in Barangay Puyat, Carmen in Surigao del Sur.

 
In a released press statement, the 4th Infantry Division, Public Affairs Office chief Major Francisco Garello confirmed the identity of the New People’s Army (NPA) officer as Grecy Yparraguirre alias Raquel, the secretary of Guerilla Front 30 (GF30), North Eastern Mindanao Regional Committee (NEMRC).

Accordingly, alias Raquel’s husband named Ramil Salazar Queda alias Ben, and nephew, Robert Arreza Yparraguirre alias Mark, the vice commanding officer and member of Platoon 1, GF30, NEMRC, respectively, and Bakekor Lauro Masiga alias Pidok, member of Sentro de Grabidad 16 (SDG16) also surrendered, bringing along with them the four-high powered firearms composed of the following:
1. one (1) Norinco AK 47,
2. one (1) M14 riffle, and
3. one (1) AR18 rifle attached,
4. one (1) 40mm M203 grenade launcher.

Civil-Military Operations chief of 36IB Captain Reyzander Ga revealed that the four surrenderees shared their experiences for about five years as part of the CTGs and the reasons behind returning to the folds of the government.

Accordingly, the decision made by the four surrenderees were due to the exhaustion from the continuous fighting against the government forces, and the unfulfilled promises of uplifting the quality of their lives from their organization made them realized that the hardship they experienced contributed a lot of danger to their lives. They also admitted that their living conditions were challenging because they lacked essentials like food, and suffered emotionally because they were apart from their families.

Meanwhile, 36IB Commanding Officer Lt. Col. Vincent Viray was grateful to the four CTGs for returning to the fold of the government.

“Dako ang akong pasalamat nga nakahukom kamo nga motahan sa inyong mga armas og mobalik sa sabakan sa gobyerno aron matukod ninyo ang inyong pamilya nga mahatagagn ug maayo ng kinabuhi gikan sa kalisdanan og peligro (I am very grateful that you have decided to lay down your arms, and return to the the folds of the government so that you can rebuild your family and give them a good life away from hardship and danger),” Lt. Col. Viray said.

Colonel Viray further said that the government is ready to accept and help all those who want to achieve true peace with their respective families, citing those who are still in the mountains. (NGPB/PIA-Surigao del Sur)

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