Task Force Balik Loob process 300 former NPAs, rebel supporters

From the Manila Bulletin (Dec 21): Task Force Balik Loob process 300 former NPAs, rebel supporters


Some 300 New People’s Army (NPA) members, supporters and members of the Communist group’s Underground Mass Organizations (UGMO) were presented by the Army’s 19th Infantry Battalion (19th IB) to Task Force Balik-Loob (TFBL) in two separate ceremonies held at Magpet, North Cotabato on Wednesday, December 19.

A cache of three garand rifles with magazine, a homemade M14 rifle, 11 homemade shotguns, a landmine and two pistols were also handed over by the surrenderers during the program.

Army 19th IB Commander Lt. Col. Ehrlich Noel Paraso, said the surrenderers are mostly Indigenous Peoples from barangays Bangkal and Kinarum of Magpet town who voluntarily turned themselves in to the military through the Community Support Program (CSP).

“These people, who will now rejoin us in our quest for just and lasting peace in this part of Mindanao were just victims of the promises and blatant lies of the Communist New People’s Army (CNTs) and their allied organizations,” Paraso said.

Army First Lt. Prolen Bonacua, Commanding Officer of Alpha Company, 19th IB who facilitated the “Balik-Loob Program”, said more or less 300 persons, who claimed to be former full-time members of the NPA and Milisyang Bayan (MB) submitted themselves to the unit a few weeks ago.

“We decided to hold these ceremonies to make them fully aware about the government’s Enhanced Comprehensive Local Integration Program (E-CLIP). But they will still undergo validation before they are enrolled with the program”, Bonacua said.

Major Aristotle Antonio, representative of Task Force Balik-Loob (TFBL) discussed the salient features of the E-CLIP, and how a would-be beneficiary can avail of its benefits. Private institutions were also invited to discuss their programs and services for the former NPA rebels.

Jonnavey Juan, representative of the Davao City-based Endonela Institute of Technology Foundation Incorporated (EITFI), said they have skills training programs in partnership with the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) that will help the surrenders land jobs.

On the other hand, Bae Anna Jessa Mae Crisostomo, President of Indigenous Peoples Youth Movement for Peace and Progress (IPYMPP), discussed the plight of the Indigenous Peoples (IPs) after years of having been under the influence of the NPA.

During the program, local officials of Barangays Kinarum and Bangkal signed two resolutions, declaring the CPP-NPA-NDF (CNN) and its allied organizations persona non grata in their respective villages.

Last year, President Duterte signed an Executive Order declaring the CPP-NPA as terrorists and subsequently warning anyone to be sanctioned according to law if found cuddling or cooperating with the terrorists.

https://news.mb.com.ph/2018/12/21/task-force-balik-loob-process-300-former-npas-rebel-supporters/