From the Philippine Information Agency (Jan 7): 5 former rebels receive remuneration for turned-in firearms
Five former members of the Cordillera Peoples Liberation
Army (CPLA) were remunerated of their turned-in firearms in simple ceremony
recently at the Kalinga Police Provincial Office here.
The five former rebels who turned-in low calibre firearms, four of which were short firearms, were happy to receive the amount corresponding the assessed cash value of their weapons. The Office of the Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process (OPAPP) released the amount of P33,000 for said firearms.
They said they will use the money for their immediate needs and to use it as capital to operate micro-enterprise.
Earlier this year, 11 former rebels from the same group were also remunerated of their firearms.
OPAPP officials said there are still 22 who are ready to turn-in their firearms whose papers the Office is processing.
A total of 44 CPLAs were identified, evaluated, and qualified under this program.
http://news.pia.gov.ph/article/view/171418954377/5-former-rebels-receive-remuneration-for-turned-in-firearms
The Cordillera People's Liberation Army (CPLA) is a militant organization based in the Cordillera region in the Philippines founded by Fr. Conrado Balweg. In 1986, The CPLA broke away from the Communist Party of the Philippines/New People's Army (CPP/NPA). It criticized the CPP for its incompetence in pursuing their goals. The goal of the CPLA is to fight for the self-determination of the people of Cordillera.
ReplyDeleteIn September 13, 1986 the CPLA and the Government of the Philippines made a "sipat" or cessation of hostilities agreement at the Mt. Data Hotel, in Bauko, Mountain Province. The agreement between the two entities was dubbed as the 1986 Mount Data Peace Accord.
In 2001, the organization's founder, Conrado Balweg was assassinated by a hit squad led by his brother who was still a member of the CPP/NPA.
A closure agreement between the CPLA and the Government of the Philippines was signed on July 4, 2011 at the Rizal Hall in Malacañang Palace. The agreement calls for the disarmament of the group, the reintegration of the militants into mainstream society and the conversion of the militant group into a socio-economic organization.