Former Communist rebels receive cash assistance

From the Manila Bulletin (Nov 1): Former Communist rebels receive cash assistance

At least 12 former members of the New People’s Army (NPA) received cash assistance and firearms remuneration, Tuesday, in a simple ceremony dubbed as “Pagbalik sa Sabakan, ” at Camp Osito Bahian, Malaybalay, Bukidnon province, the Fourth Infantry Division, here, said.

Five of the 12 surenderees were regular members of the NPA, and received P65,000 and firearms remuneration each.

The eight others, who were members of the NPA’s Militia ng Bayan, each received remuneration for the firearms they surrendered under the government’s Comprehensive Local Integration Program (CLIP), Capt. Norman Tagros, spokesman of the 403rd Infantry Brigade, said.

CLIP offers livelihood assistance amounting to P50,000, and immediate cash assistance of P15,000 to NPA members who surrender, including cash gift for each firearm they surrender.

It also offers a re-integration package that includes livelihood and capacity development training, said Tagros.

The CLIP Committee of Bukidnon, headed by Brigadier General Eric Vinoya, commander of the 403rd Infantry “Peacemaker” Brigade, and Provincial Board Indigenous Peoples (IP) representative Richard Macas, together with representatives from the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG), the Philippine National Police (PNP) and the Provincial Social Welfare and Development Office, facilitated the distribution of CLIP assistance.

Vinoya emphasized the government’s genuine program for the NPA members who would opt to surrender through the CLIP.

“I am deeply pleased and thankful that our brothers who were former NPA members received their assistance from the government through the CLIP of the Office of the Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process or OPAPP. With this, I urge all those NPA members who still remain victims of the futility of the armed struggle and misguided by the ill propaganda of the NPA leaders to go down, surrender, and live your lives peacefully,” he said.

https://news.mb.com.ph/2017/11/01/former-communist-rebels-receive-cash-assistance/