No more RPA-ABB

From the Visayan Daily Star (Apr 12): No more RPA-ABB

The name, “Revolutionary Proletarian Army-Alex Boncayao Brigade,” an armed component of the Rebolusyonaryong Partido ng Mangagawa-Pilipinas, no longer exists.

Instead, it is now known as the “KAPATIRAN para sa Progresong Panlipunan (Brotherhood for Social Progress),” as part of the compliance with the provisions of the peace agreement they signed with the government in year 2000.

The peace agreement aims to transform the RPA-ABB into a civilian, socio- economic organization; and to mainstream its members into their communities, provide them with livelihood and employment, and move them towards disarmament and the dismantling of their military structure.

With this development, Gilbert Arsenal, who was elected president of the KAPATIRAN, said they are now a legitimate organization composed of former revolutionary armed group members, that will lead to the disbandment of the RPA-ABB.

Records of the Office of the Presidential Adviser on Peace Process show that, of the 716 profiled RPA-ABB members, 607 are in Negros Occidental, 58 in Negros Oriental, and the rest scattered in Panay and some areas of Mindanao and Luzon. They also possess more than 400 firearms and 300 explosives.

Since they entered into the peace pact with the government, Arsenal said, 50 to 60 percent of the provisions of the peace agreement have already been complied with by the government. He, however, said the threats to their lives and resettlement areas of their members, among others, are still to be addressed.

The OPPAP has proposed a P279.16 million budget for livelihood and development programs for conflict-affected communities identified by then RPA-ABB (Tabara-Paduano Group), that will be implemented through the PAMANA (Payapa at Masaganang Pamayanan) program, a national government framework and program for conflict-affected areas, and in communities covered by existing peace agreements.

KAPATIRAN secretary Marlon de los Santos said the transformation of the RPA-ABB into a socio-political-economic organization, may be an eye opener and show members of the New People's Army, that waging an armed struggle is no longer an option.

Pending signing of the closure agreement, de los Santos, however, said they may still possess their firearms for security reasons. But he added that they are very strict against the display of firearms in public places and they will not tolerate it.

Arsenal also dismissed as “black propaganda” claims that they are serving as private armed groups of some politicians during the election period. He, however, admitted that they are supporting some candidates in the May 13 elections, including the Abang Lingkod partylist group, with Stephen Paduano, as the number one nominee.

Paduano, known as Carapali Lualhati, had served as commander of the RPA-ABB for more than a decade, before he resigned last year.

Arturo Tabara, who used to the secretary of the CPP-NPA Visayas Commission, founded the RPM-P, after they severed their ties with the mainstream rebel faction in the early 1990s. He was murdered in Quezon City by suspected NPA assassins.

His wife, Veronica, succeeded him as the RPM-P secretary.

As stipulated in the closure agreement, the RPA-ABB Tabara Paduano Group has agreed to lay down its firearms, even without monetary remuneration.

http://www.visayandailystar.com/2013/April/12/topstory6.htm