AFP commends liberation group for heeding call for peace

From the Philippine Information Agency (Feb 18): AFP commends liberation group for heeding call for peace

An Army official commended members of the former Cordillera People’s Liberation Army (CPLA) for heeding the call of government to resolve conflicts through peaceful means.

MGen. Joel Ibanez, commanding general of the 5th Infantry Division (ID) based in Gamu, Isabela, said the CPLA positively responded to the call of the Aquino government to resolve issues that keep on dividing the Filipinos through dialogue and development partnership.

“Our CPLA brothers from Kalinga and other Cordillera provinces are good examples of how we can make a step forward of making peace possible,” he said as he thanked the former combatants for trusting the 5th ID for the disarmament, demobilization, and reintegration (DDR) process that took place.

DDR is the core agenda of the memorandum of agreement signed between the Aquino government and the CPLA in 2011 towards the transformation of the CPLA from an armed group to a socio-economic force.

In last quarter of 2012, the Philippine National Police completed the conduct firearms inventory of the the former members of the Cordillera Bodong Administration-CPLA now called the Cordillera Forum for Peace and Development(CFPD). The inventory and turnover of firearms is part of the disposition of arms and forces provision of the agreement.

“Giving up your firearms is a clear manifestation of your desire for peace even at the risk of your personal safety,” Ibanez said. “All we need to do is sacrifice our personal interest for the greater good,” he added.

He said this paradigm shift was clearly demonstrated by the CPLA leadership when they chose to work hand in hand with government to better the lives of communities.

Aside from the 164 already integrated to the Armed Forces of the Philippines, more than one hundred former combatants and their dependents recently applied for reintegration to the military. Along with the group's disposition of arms and forces and livelihood assistance, the integration of qualified CFPD into the AFP is a commitment of the MOA.

Ibanez assured that the AFP will increase the number of recruits for this special training for CPLA provided they undergo DDR and are qualified.

http://www.pia.gov.ph/news/index.php?article=171360912106