Army in SKudarat winning hearts of IPs

From the Philippine News Agency (Oct 4): Army in SKudarat winning hearts of IPs

The Army’s 33rd Infantry Battalion based here has continued to get stakeholders support in winning the hearts of Indigenous Peoples (IPs) and save them from the influence of communist rebels.

Lt. Col. Harold Cabunoc, commander of the Army’s 33rd Infantry Battalion (IB), said his unit’s efforts to help IPs to distance away from the influence of New Peoples’ Army (NPA) have been getting wide support from local officials and town folks alike.

Cabunoc has led his unit on Wednesday in distributing school supplies to 50 Manobo school children in Barangay Kilogib, Senator Aquino town in Sultan Kudarat.

He said the activity was part of the community outreach program that was jointly organized by the 33rd IB and Dr. Dante Eugenio of Sultan Kudarat Doctors Hospital.

Kilogib has a makeshift school building for school children who could not make the 10-kilometer trek to the nearest school.

Lately, four of the NPA surrenderers came from the village of Kilogib which is located in the thickly forested community near the border of Ninoy Aquino and Kalamansig towns, both in Sultan Kudarat.

Cabunoc did not only convince the IP communist rebels to surrender but made them feel how to live normal lives as Filipinos, enjoying the beauty of nature and civilization.

He brought two NPA surrenderers to Kalamansig port and asked them how they feel.

“It is our first time to see the beauty of sea waters,” Cabunoc quoted one of the former NPA as saying. “You see, if you are in the mountain fighting the government, you cannot move freely,” he told the former rebels.

He then accompanied them to swim in Kalamansig port.

Since May, at least 30 communist rebels from the IP communities in the 33rd IB area of assignment have surrendered and turned over various firearms.

The rebel returnees also received financial assistance from Sultan Kudarat Governor Pax Mangudadatu who concurrently chairs the Region 12 Peace and Order Council.

http://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1011702