South Cotabato exec sees surrender of more NPA rebels

From the Philippine News Agency (Nov 9): South Cotabato exec sees surrender of more NPA rebels

The provincial government of South Cotabato is optimistic that more New People’s Army (NPA) rebels in the area will surrender in the coming months due to the continuing implementation of the Comprehensive Local Integration Program (CLIP). Lawyer Hilario de Pedro III, South Cotabato provincialadministrator, said the initial CLIP beneficiaries in the province reported that some of their active comrades have signified interest to lay down their firearms and instead avail of the program. The local government is presently working for the inclusion into the program of 18 former members of the Front 73of the NPA’s Far South Mindanao Region (FSMR) committee. In a joint CLIP validation and authentication committee (JVAC) meeting in Koronadal, de Pedro said the provincial government is fully committed to assist the 18 rebel returnees through the integration program. The JVAC meeting was held purposely to verify information about the 18 rebel returnees, who recently signified to take part in the program. The prospective CLIP recipients, who were residents of Surallah and Lake Sebu towns in South Cotabato, are presently under the custody of the Army’s 27th Infantry Battalion (IB) led by Lt. Col. Zhalimar Imperial....
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