The National Democratic Front-Eastern Visayas today said that individuals who “surrender” to the reactionary government cannot be guaranteed peace and security, as the military and the fascist regime will always hound them to take part in worse crimes against the people.

Reacting to recent statements issued by the civil-military arm of the 8th Infantry Division-Philippine Army, the NDF-EV said, “The military’s guarantees of a peaceful and secure life after surrendering are patently false. We have recorded many cases of ‘surrenderers’ or those who had their names ‘cleared’ but were summarily killed thereafter.”

The NDF-EV cited the cases of Juddy Ragawdaw, who was killed last June by the 63rd Infantry Battalion after surrendering in 2020; Noel Galvez, who was killed in April 2020 two months after surrendering to the 46th IB; and couple Paquito and Melba Mahinay, who were killed last June after surrendering to the 802nd Infantry Brigade.

Albert Aldiano of Calubian, Leyte, an active agent for the 93rd IB, was also summarily killed last June.

Before the ‘surrenderers’ were killed, they were made to repeatedly report to the military camp, to identify other individuals whom they will force to surrender, to spy against their neighbors and fellow peasants, and to name personalities for the military to ‘liquidate.’

The NDF-EV said, “It is hypocritical for the 8th ID to guarantee security for their ‘surrenderers’ when they themselves kill their own agents. Anyone whom they deem useless can be easily disposed of like a dirty rag.”

The NDF-EV also belied the government’s promise of benefits and rewards for “surrenderers,” such as those listed under the Enhanced Comprehensive Local Integration Program (E-CLIP). “These are reserved only for a few who willfully cooperate with the fascist regime in committing grave crimes against the people and in spreading lies against the revolutionary movement to deceive the public.

“But they only get to partake in the few pesos that the the military generals leave for them after taking a far greater share of the E-CLIP money.”

The NDF-EV added that to begin with, almost all of those whom the Armed Forces of the Philippines repeatedly claim as having ‘surrendered’ were ordinary civilians coerced, fooled, threatened, or tortured to do so.

Most recently, peasant youth from Basey, Western Samar were falsely presented on social media by the 63rd IB as ‘surrenderers,’ after they were hoodwinked into attending the founding of youth, farmer and women’s organizations.

“By parading the thousands whom they present as ‘surrenderers,’ the military unwittingly proves that the reactionary government’s ‘surrender program is a sham.”

The NDF-EV called on the public to reject the lies spewed by the 8th ID, especially its farcical ‘surrender’ numbers.

It also called on the people, especially the peasant masses, to reject the ‘surrender campaign’ of the Duterte regime. “They cannot expect butchers and murderers such as the fascist troops of the 8th ID to make true to promises of security and a better life.

“The intensified all-out war by the 8th ID and the Duterte regime against the people can only be frustrated by waging armed revolution and supporting the tactical offensives of the New People’s Army,” the NDF-EV ended.