241 former NPA guerrillas to dine with President Duterte

From the Mindanao Times (Feb 20): 241 former NPA guerrillas to dine with President Duterte

THE SECOND batch of former rebels who will dine with the President in Malacañang was sent off yesterday to Manila via two Philippine Air Force C-130 aircraft at the Davao City International Airport.

Maj. Ezra Balagtey, the spokesperson of Eastern Mindanao Command, said the group is composed of 241 individuals, mostly from Compostela Province and Davao Del Norte. Thirty-eight of them are females while the rest are males.

They are part of the 683 former New People’s Army rebels from different parts of Eastern Mindanao who were presented to President Duterte on Dec. 21, 2017 in Camp Panacan, Davao City.

Balagtey said the activity aims to give the former rebels a better perspective in life, particularly in peace-building and nationalism. “It is part of the government’s continuing activity of reintegrating the former rebels in the mainstream society,” Balagtey said.

Part of their tour will be a historical and heritage trip to Luneta Park and Intramuros while a welcome ceremony will be held on Wednesday, Feb. 21, 2018, at Camp Aguinaldo to be hosted by AFP Chief of Staff Leonardo Guerrero.

Prior to their dinner with the President, they will also get a chance to interact with other former NPA members who now work as advocates of peace and development. The tour will conclude on Feb. 22 and they will return to Davao City via a C-130 aircraft.

The schedule of the third batch of FRs will be determined later by the Appointments Office of the President.

It can be recalled that the first batch composed of 215 former rebels were toured in Manila and had a dinner with the President last February 6-8, 2018. On Feb. 16, 50 of them were enrolled in the Technical-Vocational Education Training to learn skills.

Meanwhile, Lt. Gen. Benjamin R. Madrigal Jr., commander of the Eastern Mindanao Command, reiterated the willingness of the government to help the surrenderees.

“We are committed and more than willing to accommodate NPAs who want to return to the folds of the law and take part in building a nation of peace for progress and development,” Madrigal said.

http://mindanaotimes.net/241-former-npa-guerrillas-to-dine-with-president-duterte/