Army says: Bayanihan drive gains momentum

From the Visayan Daily Star (Oct 21): Army says: Bayanihan drive gains momentum

Brig. Gen. Aurelio Baladad, 3rd Infantry Division commander, claimed yesterday that the Internal Peace and Security Plan Bayanihan continues to gain momentum in Negros and Panay, as more rebels have opted to return to the mainstream society.

Baladad cited the recent surrender of nine members of the New People’s Army Yunit Militia in Moises Padilla, Negros Occidental, Guihulngan City, Negros Oriental, and four others in Capiz.

The nine Negros rebels also surrendered 17 firearms, that included an M72 anti-weapon, 12 rifle grenades and 60mm mortar ammunition.

Baladad said former rebels who surrender guns will receive cash from the AFP’s Guns for Peace Program, based on the remuneration package of the firearms, which they can use as seed money to start a new life.

He added that they continue their call to other NPA rebels to come down and trade their guns in the name of peace, abandon the armed violence and join the mainstream society and they will be assisted to start a new life and give their families and children a better future.

The 11th Infantry Battalion is now processing the documents for the nine former rebels to avail of financial assistance from the AFP, its Civil Military Operations officer, 1Lt. Von Ryan Gomez, said.

Meanwhile, the four former rebels in Capiz, identified as Celso and Joey Francisco, Jimmy Jacinto and Rodelio Delia, received livelihood assistance of P50,000 from the Office of the Presidential Adviser on Peace, Major Ray Tiongson, 3ID spokesman, said.

The AFP’s Guns for Peace Program was launched in April to give cash to the rebels who surrendered their firearms in the name of peace.

Tiongson said former rebels who surrender firearms will receive as much as 200,000 for light machine guns, P50,000 for a M-16 rifle, P60,000 for an M-14 rifle and P40,000 for M-203 grenade launchers.

Aside from the AFP Guns for Peace program, Tiongson said former rebels may also avail of benefits from other government programs and immediate cash assistance from the local government unit.

Nine high-powered firearms were recovered by the 62nd Infantry Battalion last month in a series of encounters with suspected NPA members at the boundary of Sagay City and Toboso, that also led to the death of a rebel leader and the capture of three others, military records show.

http://www.visayandailystar.com/2013/October/21/topstory8.htm