WARM WELCOME. Joint Task Force Bicolandia and 9th Infantry Division head Maj. Gen. Fernando Trinidad shakes hands with one of the 65 rebel surrenderers during a ceremony held in 903rd Infantry Brigade based in Castilla in Sorsogon on Wednesday (Sept. 11, 2019). The surrenderers will be immediately enrolled in the Enhanced Comprehensive Local Integration Program. (Photo courtesy of 9ID)
At least 65 communist fighters and supporters, who formally surrendered to the government, were presented in a ceremony on Wednesday, an official of 9th Infantry Division (9ID) official said.
The presentation ceremony was held at the camp of the 903rd Infantry Brigade based in Castilla in Sorsogon.
Maj. Ricky Anthony Aguilar, 9ID spokesperson, said in a phone interview on Thursday, the surrenderers were composed of 38 (35 men and three women) regulars of the New People's Army (NPA), 25 (20 men and five women) members of Sangay ng Partido sa Lokalidad and two from Milisyang Bayan. All are members of Larangan 1, Komiteng Probinsya 3 of Bicol Regional Party Committee.
Aguilar added that two carbines, six M16 rifles, two .45-caliber pistols, two Improvised Explosive Devices, two Molotov bombs, six VHF radios, assorted ammunition, and magazines for high-powered firearms were also yielded.
“The Joint Task Force Bicolandia (JTFB) considers the event as one of the significant accomplishments of the intensified Community Support Program (CSP) of the Philippine Army, CSP teams in Bicol are deployed in different conflict-affected barangays to identify the services the residents need and at the same time discourage them to join or support the communist terrorist group,” the spokesperson added.
Executive Order 70, signed by President Rodrigo Duterte in December last year, further enticed the rebels to surrender as a lot of government agencies are now ready to help them in reestablishing their lives outside the armed movement through Regional Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (RTF-ELCAC) also known as Task Force Katuninongan asin Kauswagan.
"Sana po simula sa araw na ito, magtulungan tayong lahat para sa magandang bukas ng Sorsogon. Hindi lamang po ito para sa amin, para rin po ito sa mga tao ng Sorsogon. Ang gusto lang po namin ay makatulong para maging maayos ang peace and order ng Sorsogon, (Let us help each other starting today for the better future of Sorsogon. This is not just for us but most importantly for the people of Sorsogon. All we want is to help in maintaining the peace and order in Sorsogon)," said JTFB commander Maj. Gen. Fernando Trinidad in a statement.
Caloy, one of the surrenderers, emotionally thanked the government for giving them a chance to start their lives anew. "Tuwang-tuwa po 'yong pamilya ko na sumurrender na po ako. Sila talaga ang unang-unang naghikayat sa akin lalo na 'yong asawa ko na tumigil na nga ako sa pagtatago sa bundok. (My family is very happy that I finally decided to surrender. They really encouraged me, especially my wife, to stop hiding in the mountains),” Caloy said.
Aida Alcantara of the Provincial Social Welfare and Development Office assured the former rebels that their office is ready to give them the assistance they need.
"Kung kami po sa local government ay may kakulangan pa, sisikapin po naming makumpleto pa ang ibinibigay namin sainyo habang ang ibang ahensya ay tumutugon din po sa kanilang obligasyon o role sa programang ito," (If the services of the local government are still not enough, we will do our best to complete it while the other government agencies are playing their roles too in this program),” she added.
The surrenderers will be immediately enrolled in the Enhanced Comprehensive Local Integration Program (E-CLIP).
Under E-CLIP, they will be given livelihood and housing assistance as well as firearms remuneration.
https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1080309
The presentation ceremony was held at the camp of the 903rd Infantry Brigade based in Castilla in Sorsogon.
Maj. Ricky Anthony Aguilar, 9ID spokesperson, said in a phone interview on Thursday, the surrenderers were composed of 38 (35 men and three women) regulars of the New People's Army (NPA), 25 (20 men and five women) members of Sangay ng Partido sa Lokalidad and two from Milisyang Bayan. All are members of Larangan 1, Komiteng Probinsya 3 of Bicol Regional Party Committee.
Aguilar added that two carbines, six M16 rifles, two .45-caliber pistols, two Improvised Explosive Devices, two Molotov bombs, six VHF radios, assorted ammunition, and magazines for high-powered firearms were also yielded.
“The Joint Task Force Bicolandia (JTFB) considers the event as one of the significant accomplishments of the intensified Community Support Program (CSP) of the Philippine Army, CSP teams in Bicol are deployed in different conflict-affected barangays to identify the services the residents need and at the same time discourage them to join or support the communist terrorist group,” the spokesperson added.
Executive Order 70, signed by President Rodrigo Duterte in December last year, further enticed the rebels to surrender as a lot of government agencies are now ready to help them in reestablishing their lives outside the armed movement through Regional Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (RTF-ELCAC) also known as Task Force Katuninongan asin Kauswagan.
"Sana po simula sa araw na ito, magtulungan tayong lahat para sa magandang bukas ng Sorsogon. Hindi lamang po ito para sa amin, para rin po ito sa mga tao ng Sorsogon. Ang gusto lang po namin ay makatulong para maging maayos ang peace and order ng Sorsogon, (Let us help each other starting today for the better future of Sorsogon. This is not just for us but most importantly for the people of Sorsogon. All we want is to help in maintaining the peace and order in Sorsogon)," said JTFB commander Maj. Gen. Fernando Trinidad in a statement.
Caloy, one of the surrenderers, emotionally thanked the government for giving them a chance to start their lives anew. "Tuwang-tuwa po 'yong pamilya ko na sumurrender na po ako. Sila talaga ang unang-unang naghikayat sa akin lalo na 'yong asawa ko na tumigil na nga ako sa pagtatago sa bundok. (My family is very happy that I finally decided to surrender. They really encouraged me, especially my wife, to stop hiding in the mountains),” Caloy said.
Aida Alcantara of the Provincial Social Welfare and Development Office assured the former rebels that their office is ready to give them the assistance they need.
"Kung kami po sa local government ay may kakulangan pa, sisikapin po naming makumpleto pa ang ibinibigay namin sainyo habang ang ibang ahensya ay tumutugon din po sa kanilang obligasyon o role sa programang ito," (If the services of the local government are still not enough, we will do our best to complete it while the other government agencies are playing their roles too in this program),” she added.
The surrenderers will be immediately enrolled in the Enhanced Comprehensive Local Integration Program (E-CLIP).
Under E-CLIP, they will be given livelihood and housing assistance as well as firearms remuneration.
https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1080309
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