NPA official, wife surrender in South Cotabato —Army

A regional deputy secretary of the Communist Party of the Philippines-New People's Army (CPP-NPA) in South Cotabato and his wife have surrendered, the Philippine Army said Wednesday.

Captain Gary Dida, civil military operations head of the Army's 10th Infantry Division, identified the couple as Noel Minioto Legazpi alias Efren and Jeanalyn Defensor Bendalian alias Wendy.

Dida said the couple surrendered to the troops of the 27th Infantry Battalion on Monday afternoon.

He said Legazpi was the deputy secretary of the CPP-NPA's Far South Mindanao Region while his wife was a member of the medical team of the rebel unit.

Dida said the couple had realized that the communist rebellion will not win against the government.

He said the couple surrendered through the help of South Cotabato Governor Daisy Avance-Fuentes.

The Army said the governor has pledged support for the couple in their "reintegration into the mainstream society."

President Rodrigo Duterte has officially tagged the CPP-NPA as a terrorist organization after terminating the government's peace talks with the group.

In December last year, Congress granted Duterte's request to extend martial law in Mindanao until Dec. 31, 2018.

The President cited threats from ISIS-inspired groups and the communist group in his request from Congress to extend martial law in Mindanao, which was declared in May 2017 following the attack of the Maute group in Mindanao. —ALG, GMA News