Friday, December 18, 2015

Former NPA rebels get PHP1.17-million ‘cash gifts’

From the Philippine News Agency (Dec 18): Former NPA rebels get PHP1.17-million ‘cash gifts’

Eighteen former rebels of the New People’s Army (NPA) here received a total of PHP 1.17 million in “cash gifts” for their livelihood endeavor, a military official said Friday.

Capt. Norman Tagros, spokesperson of the Army’s 8th Infantry Battalion, said that each rebel returnee received PHP 65,000 during a simple ceremony here last Tuesday.

Tagros said that the livelihood assistance was part of the government’s Comprehensive Local Integration Program (CLIP) extended to former NPA rebels who surrender to the government.

He said that the 18 former NPA rebels who became CLIP beneficiaries were members of the Indigenous Peoples or Lumads of the Umayamnen, Higaonon, and Talaandig tribes of Bukidnon.

One of the beneficiaries, Jonathan Nacar, a former NPA guerilla of the North Central Mindanao Regional Committee, has expressed gratitude for the government’s support.

Nacar received an additional PHP 52,000 under the military’s “Guns for Peace” program as remuneration of the AK-47 rifle that he turned over to the government.

During the turnover last Tuesday, Nacar said that he now believed the government’s promises and efforts to help the communist rebels live a normal life through its various programs.

“I really made the right decision when I decided to surrender. Our families, together with the other former NPA rebels are happy as well of the government’s assistance,” Nacar said.

Lt. Col. Lennon G. Babilonia, commanding officer of the Army’s 8IB, said he was glad that finally, “our brothers were given their livelihood assistance, just in time for the Christmas season this year.”

Tagros said that the CLIP is jointly implemented by government stakeholders that include the Department of Local and Interior Government (DILG), provincial government, the Philippine National Police, the Philippine Army, and the Provincial Social Welfare Department.

http://www.pna.gov.ph/index.php?idn=2&sid=&nid=2&rid=839520

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