ASIPULO, Ifugao – A 19-year old neophyte member of the New Peoples Army (NPA) surrendered to combined police and military in sitio Hiket, barangay Camandag here at around 1pm Tuesday.
Superintendent Cherry Fajardo, public information officer of the Police Regional Office (PRO) in the Cordillera, identified the rebel returnee as Melchor Habawel Liwan alias Alvin, 19, single and a member of the Ifugao-based Nona del Rosario command of the NPA and a resident of sitio Hiket, barangay Camandag, Asipulo, Ifugao.
The surrender of the neophyte rebel awas made possible through the efforts of barangay kagawad Alfonso T. Habawel of the same place.
He reportedly joined the NPA Squad Uno under a certain alias Ka Sayyaf in March 2014 in sitio Lapting barangay Namal, Asipulo, Ifugao.
He is now under the custody of the Asipulo Municipal Police Station for debriefing before being turned over to his family.
By Dexter A. See