Kalinaw News: 37 Former Rebels Complete De-Radicalization Program in Northern Samar

Posted to Kalinaw News (Jan 31, 2023): 37 Former Rebels Complete De-Radicalization Program in Northern Samar (By Jonathan Blanco)

From January 25–27, 2023, 37 Former Rebels participated in a three-day deradicalization seminar at Headquarters 803rd Brigade, Camp Sumoroy, Brgy Dalakit, Catarman, Northern Samar.The 803rd Brigade, in cooperation with the Northern Samar Provincial Task-Force ELCAC and Provincial Task-Force Balik Loob, carried out the 3-Day Former Rebel (FRs) De-radicalization Program. All 37 of the former rebels who attended are currently enrolled at the “Darangpan Center” of the Northern Samar Provincial Social Welfare Development Office, where they will participate in a number of activities aimed at rehabilitating them into contributing members of society.

In order to prepare these FRs for their reintegration into their respective communities, the program aims to maintain the gains made by the government in accordance with the application of Executive Order 70 to End Local the Communist Armed Conflict (ELCAC). Additionally, this program aims to disprove the information given to Communist Terrorist Group (CTG) CADREs when they were recruited and equip them to assist the government’s efforts to promote peace, particularly in relation to thwarting the CTG’s deception tactics and terroristic activities. Such an effort will go a long way toward helping Northern Samar province achieve inclusive and lasting peace.

In contrast, the commander of the 803rd Brigade, Brigadier General Perfecto P. Pearedondo PA, said during the closing ceremony that “the propaganda used by the CTG CADREs during indoctrination and recruitment that fooled the innocent communities, such as the agrarian revolution, alleviation of living conditions, and a better life, can never be achieved through armed struggle.” The NPAs’ active presence in Northern Samar Province only obstructs peace and progress. The normalization of FRs’ lives under a democratic governance system, he continued, depends on changing their mindset.

Kalinaw News is the official online source of information on the pursuit for peace in the Philippines This website is a property of the Civil-Military Operations Regiment, Philippine Army located at Lawton Avenue, Fort Bonifacio, Taguig City.

https://www.kalinawnews.com/37-former-rebels-complete-de-radicalization-program-in-northern-samar/