A HIGH-RANKING official of the Communist Terrorist Group (CTG) and his live-in partner operating in southern portion of Negros Occidental surrendered to the Bacolod City Police Office (BCPO) on Tuesday, May 3.The surrenderers were identified as alias “Tal-tal,” 26, a platoon leader of Armandos Sumayang Jr. Command and a resident of Sipalay City, while his live-in partner is alias “Karil,” 21, the group’s platoon medic.They were presented during the launching of the Project Table for Peace (Tape) at the BCPO headquarters in Barangay Singcang-Airport led by its director Colonel Thomas Joseph Martir.Lieutenant Colonel Joeffer Cabural, chief of City Intelligence Unit (CIU) of BCPO, said a non-government organization in Bacolod City helped the two CTG members and sought the assistance of Police Station 7.Cabural said “Tal-tal” was recruited when he was only 18 years old, particularly as a member of the youth sector of sectoral groups while Karil was recruited when she was 17.Karil was first assigned as vice finance of the group until she became a platoon medic of Platoon 2, he added.Cabural stressed that the two surrenderers were recruited and blinded by the propagandas of the CTGs.The reason, he said, for leaving the movement is that they saw maltreatment of their members, tired of armed struggle, and longing for peace.”When they were given a privilege to visit family (integration to family), they took the opportunity to never come back to their camp. They already decided to surrender last 2020, but due to the lockdown, hunted by the military and their former comrades, their movements were limited,” Cabural said.After they surrendered, he said, the two were turned over to the custody of Hinoba-an town Mayor Ernesto Estrao, who also turned over cash assistance to the rebel returnees.Cabural said it is the first time that members of CTG surrendered to the BCPO, adding that there is no reported presence of New People’s Army in the city.