Wednesday, September 11, 2019

310 former rebels to undergo decommissioning process

From the Philippine Information Agency (Sep 11, 2019): 310 former rebels to undergo decommissioning process (By 3ID DPAO-Philippine Army)

CAMP PERALTA, Jamindan, Capiz -- A total of 310 former rebels are set to undergo decommissioning process at the 3rd Infantry (Spearhead) Division, Philippine Army, headquarters starting September 16.

Major General Dinoh Dolina, Commander of the Army’s 3ID, warmly welcomed the former combatants of the Revolutionary Proletarian Army – Alex Boncayao Brigade (RPA-ABB) from eight Peace Development Community (PDC) sites in Western Visayas in a gathering at the 3ID headquarters, September 8.




“With the bold move of the RPA-ABB to make true to its promise to surrender their firearms and took full allegiance to the government, we are seeing that the just and lasting peace in Negros and Panay is within reach. They are now our partners in building a more progressive and developed Region 6,” Dolina said.

As part of the decommissioning process, the former rebels will be at 3ID Headquarters, for two months to undergo training that conforms to military standard.

They will be given government-issued firearms to become Special Civilian Active Auxiliary as another component in the peace and security operations in their respective localities.

The RPA-ABB, currently known as Kapatiran para sa Progresibong Panlipunan, signed a peace agreement with the government in 2000.

While it took almost two decades for it to be realized, it has now been proven that peace is not an elusive dream but rather an achievable vision which can be attained through localized peace talks.

Decommissioning is one of the five components of Clarificatory Implementing Document (CID) to the 2000 Peace Agreement formulated in consultation with the Rebolusyonaryong Partido ng Manggagawa ng Pilipinas-Revolutionary Proletarian Army – Alex Boncayao Brigade and Kapatiran para sa Progresibong Lipunan (RPMP/RPA/ABB-TPG/KAPATIRAN).


The CID was agreed upon by various national government agencies.

This is a classic example of a successful localized peace talk and a breakthrough to the government’s peace campaign that manifests its sincerity of helping those who took the wrong path but chose to go back to the fold of the law.

KAPATIRAN is composed of members of the former rebel group which separated from the CPP-NPA in 1996 after denouncing Jose Maria Sison’s violent and bloody ideology.

The group entered peace negotiations in 1999 and signed a peace agreement in 2000.

On March 26, a dialogue with the group was initiated by 3ID in the presence of Presidential Peace Adviser Carlito G. Glavez Jr., where the members of the group committed to fulfill the components of the CID specifically the disposition of firearms and forces.


During the dialogue, Veronica Tabara, Chairperson of the KAPATIRAN ensured the full transformation of her members and gave assurance to continue to help the people and the government in attaining genuine peace in their communities, he said.


Meanwhile, Dolina is appealing to the leaders of the other local communist groups in the region to take a cue from the RPA-ABB of talking to their government so that valid issues will be resolved in peaceful ways.

“It has been proven that armed struggle is not the answer to your causes. Denounce your national leaders for they only feed you nothing but misery and poverty while they are living lavish lifestyle in the cities,” he said.

“Lay down your arms, return to the folds of law, talk to your government and be our partners in drawing a common solution of ending violence that affects every Filipino people,” Dolina added. (JBG/Capt. Cenon Pancito III/3ID-DPAO

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