SARANGANI PROVINCE — Two members of the Communist Terrorist Group (CTG) have voluntarily surrendered to authorities in separate incidents in Sarangani Province, with one of them formally turning himself over to the Police Regional Office 12 (PRO 12) after previously surrendering to the Philippine Army, while another surrendered an unlicensed firearm and ammunition as authorities continued efforts to encourage members of armed groups to abandon the armed struggle and return to peaceful civilian life.
The two surrender incidents took place on September 3 and 4, 2026, in the municipalities of Kiamba and Malapatan, respectively.
The first involved a 40-year-old man identified as alias “Boy,” who formally surrendered to PRO 12 on September 3 in Sitio Laguisan, Barangay Suli, Kiamba.
Police identified “Boy” as a former Supply Officer and Executive Committee Member of the Regional Operations Command (ROC) of the Front Committee, Southern Mindanao Region (FSMR). He had been included in the PRO 12 Priority Security Risk (PSR) list during the first quarter of 2026.
According to PRO 12, “Boy” had previously surrendered to the 105th Infantry Battalion of the Philippine Army (105IB, PA) on June 12, 2026. His subsequent formal surrender to the police was undertaken to officially document his status and provide the basis for his eventual removal from the PRO 12 PSR list.
The formal surrender was facilitated by the Kiamba Municipal Police Station, in coordination with the 2nd Special Police Mobile Force Company (2nd SPMFC), 1204th Maneuver Company of the Regional Mobile Force Battalion 12, Maritime Group 12, RID Tracker Team Alpha 12, and the Sarangani Police Provincial Office–Provincial Intelligence Unit (SPPO-PIU).
Police said the process forms part of continuing efforts to facilitate the transition of former CTG members away from armed activities and toward peaceful civilian life.
The following day, September 4, another CTG member voluntarily surrendered in Sitio Alyeng, Barangay Sapu Masla, Malapatan.
The surrender was facilitated by PRO 12 at around 10 a.m. The individual, a 35-year-old farmer, was identified by authorities as a member of the dismantled Guerrilla Front 71 (GF 71), FSMR, NPSRL.
Unlike the first case, the Malapatan surrender also resulted in the turnover of a firearm and ammunition.
The former CTG member voluntarily handed over one Springfield rifle reportedly converted to an M14 rifle, which had no serial number, together with one magazine and two live rounds of ammunition.
The surrender was carried out through the coordinated efforts of the Malapatan Municipal Police Station, 1st Special Police Mobile Force Company, Sarangani Police Provincial Office Intelligence Unit, Municipal Law Enforcement Team Malapatan, Regional Intelligence Unit 12, and Alpha Company of the 73rd Infantry Battalion, Philippine Army.
The two incidents highlight the continuing security and peacebuilding efforts in Sarangani, where government forces are seeking not only to address armed threats but also to provide opportunities for individuals who choose to leave armed groups and return to civilian communities.
For authorities, the formal documentation of former CTG members is also significant in ensuring that individuals who have surrendered are properly accounted for and that their security status is updated in police records.
PRO 12 Regional Director PBGen Alan B. Manibog emphasized that voluntary surrender should be viewed not simply as a security development but as an opportunity for former members of armed groups to rebuild their lives outside the armed struggle.
“Ang mahalaga ay may pagkakataong makabalik sa maayos at mapayapang pamumuhay. Ang bawat indibidwal na kusang lumalayo sa armadong pakikibaka ay isang hakbang tungo sa mas ligtas at mapayapang komunidad,” Manibog said in connection with the formal surrender in Kiamba.
Following the second surrender in Malapatan, the regional police chief again called on individuals still involved in armed groups to consider abandoning violence and taking advantage of opportunities to return to peaceful communities.
“Ang bawat pagsuko ay isang pagkakataon para magsimula muli at makabalik sa mapayapang pamumuhay. Patuloy nating hikayatin ang mga naliligaw ng landas na samantalahin ang pagkakataong ito at piliin ang kapayapaan kaysa karahasan,” Manibog said.
The two surrender cases come amid continuing government efforts in Mindanao to weaken remaining armed-group structures through a combination of security operations, intelligence work, community engagement, and programs aimed at encouraging combatants and supporters to abandon the armed struggle.
For Sarangani communities, authorities said every voluntary surrender represents an opportunity to reduce the presence of firearms and armed individuals while opening a pathway for former members to reintegrate into civilian life.
The surrender of the 35-year-old farmer in Malapatan also resulted in the recovery of a firearm and ammunition, while the formal surrender of “Boy” in Kiamba allows authorities to update his status and facilitate his removal from the PRO 12 PSR list, subject to the appropriate documentation and procedures.
Together, the two cases underscore the government’s continuing push to encourage former CTG members to choose reintegration and peaceful civilian life over continued involvement in armed activities.