TACLOBAN CITY, May 15 -- The recent surrender of a private armed group leader and a member is a big boost to the Philippine National Police (PNP) campaign against criminality in Samar province, the PNP regional office here said.

In a press briefing late Tuesday, PNP Eastern Visayas Regional Director Reynaldo Pawid said their surrender is a result of intensified manhunt operations against members of criminal gangs in Samar.

"We have intensified our operations to hunt wanted persons in cooperation with the Philippine Army. These private armies felt the pressure, prompting them to surrender," Pawid told reporters.

The police regional director was referring to the surrender of Jimmy Managaysay, 36, a leader of the Managaysay criminal gr...