From Panay News (May 21, 2021): Shun NPA recruiters, ex-rebel tells students
Three former rebels (front row) in Sibalom, Antique receive assistance worth P5,000 each on May 18. An additional P5,000 was also extended to them by the provincial government of Antique. PNA PHOTO BY ANNABEL CONSUELO J. PETINGLAY
Recruited into the armed movement while still a public school student in a remote barangay of Sibalom, Antique, a 22-year-old surrenderer advised the youth to finish their studies so as not to experience the hardships of hiding in the mountains.
The former rebel said he joined the Communist Party of the Philippines – New People’s Army (CPP-NPA) out of frustration for failing in his Science subject.
“I was not able to finish my Grade 10 because of that failure,” he said.
He momentarily stopped school until he was lured by his friends in Barangay Imparayan to join the rebel movement.
At first, he just wanted to experience the life of a rebel but later on, he realized that he could no longer get out of the communist movement.
“I was with the CPP-NPA for five years based in Igbaras, Iloiloe,” he said, adding that his family tried to find him.
The youngest of nine siblings, he said his older brother tried joining the CPP-NPA last year just to find him.
However, they failed to cross paths as he was assigned in Miag-ao while his brother was in Igbaras.
“I felt so lonely being away from my family for five years and having no contact with them. The hardships I experienced for not being able to sleep well at night made me finally decide to contact my brother who had just gone out of the CPP-NPA last month,” he said.
He was motivated to surrender when he heard of the news about the other former rebels in Antique who yielded through Executive Order 70 or End Local Communist Armed Conflict (ELCAC).
“I surrendered to the Sibalom police station on April 27 this year,” he said, adding it was his brother who coordinated with the Sibalom police for him to yield.
On Tuesday, he and two other surrenderers received assistance from the Antique provincial government and the local government unit of Sibalom.
Sibalom mayor Gian Carlo Occeña welcomed the surrender.
“The local government is giving aid to individuals in a crisis situation (AICS) in the amount of P5,000, a sack of rice and livelihood to the former rebels (FRs),” he said.
Sibalom has already welcomed back 13 former rebels to the fold of law since Oct. 22, 2020.
Through the Provincial Social Welfare and Development Office, the Antique provincial government also extended food packs and P5,000 AICS to every surrenderer.
The 13 surrenderers in Sibalom will also receive P20,000 assistance each under the Sustainable Livelihood Program (SLP) of the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD).
Raymund Cervantes, DSWD-SLP Project Development Officer II, said they are now processing the SLP of the three recent surrenderers while they are still waiting for the Joint Philippine National Police-Armed Forces of the Philippines Intelligence Certificate (JPIC) of the 10 others.
“The JPIC is a certification that the FRs (former rebels) have no pending case in the court and is a requirement for them to receive the SLP,” he said.
https://www.panaynews.net/shun-npa-recruiters-ex-rebel-tells-students/
Recruited into the armed movement while still a public school student in a remote barangay of Sibalom, Antique, a 22-year-old surrenderer advised the youth to finish their studies so as not to experience the hardships of hiding in the mountains.
The former rebel said he joined the Communist Party of the Philippines – New People’s Army (CPP-NPA) out of frustration for failing in his Science subject.
“I was not able to finish my Grade 10 because of that failure,” he said.
He momentarily stopped school until he was lured by his friends in Barangay Imparayan to join the rebel movement.
At first, he just wanted to experience the life of a rebel but later on, he realized that he could no longer get out of the communist movement.
“I was with the CPP-NPA for five years based in Igbaras, Iloiloe,” he said, adding that his family tried to find him.
The youngest of nine siblings, he said his older brother tried joining the CPP-NPA last year just to find him.
However, they failed to cross paths as he was assigned in Miag-ao while his brother was in Igbaras.
“I felt so lonely being away from my family for five years and having no contact with them. The hardships I experienced for not being able to sleep well at night made me finally decide to contact my brother who had just gone out of the CPP-NPA last month,” he said.
He was motivated to surrender when he heard of the news about the other former rebels in Antique who yielded through Executive Order 70 or End Local Communist Armed Conflict (ELCAC).
“I surrendered to the Sibalom police station on April 27 this year,” he said, adding it was his brother who coordinated with the Sibalom police for him to yield.
On Tuesday, he and two other surrenderers received assistance from the Antique provincial government and the local government unit of Sibalom.
Sibalom mayor Gian Carlo Occeña welcomed the surrender.
“The local government is giving aid to individuals in a crisis situation (AICS) in the amount of P5,000, a sack of rice and livelihood to the former rebels (FRs),” he said.
Sibalom has already welcomed back 13 former rebels to the fold of law since Oct. 22, 2020.
Through the Provincial Social Welfare and Development Office, the Antique provincial government also extended food packs and P5,000 AICS to every surrenderer.
The 13 surrenderers in Sibalom will also receive P20,000 assistance each under the Sustainable Livelihood Program (SLP) of the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD).
Raymund Cervantes, DSWD-SLP Project Development Officer II, said they are now processing the SLP of the three recent surrenderers while they are still waiting for the Joint Philippine National Police-Armed Forces of the Philippines Intelligence Certificate (JPIC) of the 10 others.
“The JPIC is a certification that the FRs (former rebels) have no pending case in the court and is a requirement for them to receive the SLP,” he said.
https://www.panaynews.net/shun-npa-recruiters-ex-rebel-tells-students/
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