REBEL RETURNEES. New People's Army (NPA) team leader (L) and a medical officer in Panay surrendered to the Philippine Army's 61st Infantry Battalion (IB) on Thursday (June 6, 2019). The false promises of the NPA rebels push its members to return to the fold of the law, according to Lt. Col. Joel Benedict Batara, commander of the 61st IB. (Photo courtesy of 3ID Public Affairs Office)
The false promises of the New People’s Army (NPA) drove two of its young members to surrender.
Lt. Col. Joel Benedict Batara, commander of the 61st Infantry Battalion (61IB), said a team leader and a medical officer of the rebels yielded to the battalion’s Charlie Company on Thursday.
“Through our local officials, particularly Renato Casinao, vice mayor of Calinog town, two of the rebels surrendered,” Batara said in an interview Friday.
Reynel Baybado, 21, who served as team leader of Squad 1 of the Komite Rehiyong Panay (KR-Panay), and Allyn Rose Romero Diaz, 20, who served as medical officer of Squad 2, Front 13, KR-Panay, expressed their intention to surrender last May.
Batara said Baybado and Diaz described their surrender as the “best decision” they have made, as they shared their experiences serving the NPA rebels.
The surrenderers said they suffered hunger and hardship under the rebels. “They regret joining the NPA because they said the rebels are only good at making false promises,” Batara said.
Baybado and Diaz also witnessed the “evil acts” of the rebel group, he said. The two shared they were among the rebels who went to different villages in the province to conduct extortion activities, “not only with big businessmen but also with small-scale businessmen.”
They also witnessed how the rebels harassed government troops, Batara said.
He noted that the duo's surrender was made possible with the help and encouragement of other people, especially rebel returnees in their area.
“This is a clear manifestation that the NPA is a dying organization. Thus, their members are returning to the government,” he said, adding that their surrender would reduce the strength of the NPA.
Batara said the surrenderers are under the custody of the Philippine Army (PA). He, however, did not divulge their specific location.
He said the surrenderers can avail of the Enhanced Comprehensive Local Integration Program (E-CLIP), a program of the government for former NPA members.
The program includes financial assistance of up to PHP65,000, free housing and education, among others.
A reintegration process will also take place, which will prepare them in their return to the community to live peacefully together with their families, he said.
https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1071776
The false promises of the New People’s Army (NPA) drove two of its young members to surrender.
Lt. Col. Joel Benedict Batara, commander of the 61st Infantry Battalion (61IB), said a team leader and a medical officer of the rebels yielded to the battalion’s Charlie Company on Thursday.
“Through our local officials, particularly Renato Casinao, vice mayor of Calinog town, two of the rebels surrendered,” Batara said in an interview Friday.
Reynel Baybado, 21, who served as team leader of Squad 1 of the Komite Rehiyong Panay (KR-Panay), and Allyn Rose Romero Diaz, 20, who served as medical officer of Squad 2, Front 13, KR-Panay, expressed their intention to surrender last May.
Batara said Baybado and Diaz described their surrender as the “best decision” they have made, as they shared their experiences serving the NPA rebels.
The surrenderers said they suffered hunger and hardship under the rebels. “They regret joining the NPA because they said the rebels are only good at making false promises,” Batara said.
Baybado and Diaz also witnessed the “evil acts” of the rebel group, he said. The two shared they were among the rebels who went to different villages in the province to conduct extortion activities, “not only with big businessmen but also with small-scale businessmen.”
They also witnessed how the rebels harassed government troops, Batara said.
He noted that the duo's surrender was made possible with the help and encouragement of other people, especially rebel returnees in their area.
“This is a clear manifestation that the NPA is a dying organization. Thus, their members are returning to the government,” he said, adding that their surrender would reduce the strength of the NPA.
Batara said the surrenderers are under the custody of the Philippine Army (PA). He, however, did not divulge their specific location.
He said the surrenderers can avail of the Enhanced Comprehensive Local Integration Program (E-CLIP), a program of the government for former NPA members.
The program includes financial assistance of up to PHP65,000, free housing and education, among others.
A reintegration process will also take place, which will prepare them in their return to the community to live peacefully together with their families, he said.
https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1071776
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