Wednesday, February 12, 2020

The Returnees' Portfolio

Posted to the Philippine Information Agency (Feb 12, 2020): The Returnees' Portfolio (By Olive P. Tiu)

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(3rd of a series)

The government did not forsake us, did not give up on us

Alyas Ella, 38 years old from Bacud, San Isidro, Leyte, joined the NPA in 2001 at age 20.

In 2002, she met and fell in love with her husband who joined the rebel group just to be with her. He became a combatant under her.

When the lovers got married in 2004, she decided to go down and join the legal organization as chairperson of the Catoogon Farmers Association. She was in charged of the education and training of the members and farmer leaders as a combatant assigned at the white area.

In 2006, there was an encounter and one of her NPA friends was captured. Her friend told the military the names of her comrades.

The military talked to her and convinced her to surrender without firearms.

In 2016, the NPAs returned. Carabaos, chicken were stolen every now and then in the area. Still capitalizing on land dispute, she was not able to say No to the NPAs. She became the secretary of the SK Section which handles one municipality. She was also in the recruitment of more members from San Isidro to Villaba.

In December of 2018, the military returned and helped the community. Despite the fact that she went back to the NPA, the military treated them well patiently enlightening them.

Thus, in April of 2019, she was among the more than 1000 NPAs and militia ng bayan who surrendered.

She was enrolled in the E-CLIP and was one of the 262 Former Rebels who received their benefits from no less than the President on January 23.

“I have felt the goodness and sincerity of the government. I am looking forward to a better tomorrow with my husband and three children.”

To her friends who are still in the mountains, she has this to say: “Meron pang time para makadesisyon kayo. Alam ninyo kung gaano kahirap diyan ang iba sa inyo ay gustong makapagtapos ng pag-aaral. Bukas ang gobyerno na tanggapin kayo.” (PIA-8/RTF-ELCAC8 Stratcom)

https://pia.gov.ph/news/articles/1034447

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