NPA rebel surrenders in Mountain Province — Army official

SANTIAGO CITY, Isabela – An alleged member of the Communist Party of the Philippines' New People’s Army took advantage of the holiday truce by surrendering to authorities in the Mountain Province, a belated Army report said Friday. Sgt. Benjie Andaya of the Army’s Civil Relation Service (CRS) said that on January 3, Max Jay Cabinot, 30, an active armed cadre of the CPP-NPA's Aurora Party Committee, surrendered to Col. Loreto Magundayao, head of the 5th Infantry Division’s Civil Military Operations (CMO) based in Camp Melchor Dela Cruz in Gamu, Isabela. Andaya claimed that Cabinot began sending surrender feelers after both the government and CPP-NPA declared an 18-day holiday truce that ran from December 16, 2010 to January 3, 2011. Andaya said Cabinot’s parents had requested Magundayao to lead the Christmas-Eve negotiations for the safe surrender of their son. Cabinot turned over to authorities one M-16 colt rifle, one rifle grenade, two long magazines and one short magazine with 14 live ammunition. He has been placed under the custody of the Philippine Army in Tabuk, Kalinga, since authorities began getting reports former comrades were out to liquidate him. — Floro Taguinod/LBG, GMANews.TV