26 former NPA rebels get P225,000 cash aid in Negros Oriental

From the Manila Bulletin (Mar 9, 2023): 26 former NPA rebels get P225,000 cash aid in Negros Oriental (By Glazyl Masculino)

BACOLOD CITY — Cash assistance amounting to P225,000 was turned over to 26 former members of the New People’s Army (NPA) in Guihulngan City, Negros Oriental on Tuesday, March 7.

These former rebels voluntarily surrendered to the military and the Guihulngan City Task Force To End Local Armed Conflict (GCTF-ELCAC), according to a report from the Army 62nd Infantry Battalion (IB).

The assistance was made possible through the Sustainable Livelihood Program of the Guihulngan City Social Welfare and Development Office which enables former rebels to start anew with their families, and become part of nation-building.

Meanwhile, an NPA rebel, who was reportedly part of the group that clashed with the military troops in Barangay Carabalan, Himamaylan City, Negros Occidental on March 1, surrendered to the 94th IB, two days later. He also surrendered an M16 rifle, a bandolier, and ammunition.

According to the Army, the rebel will undergo the government’s Enhanced Comprehensive Local Integration Program (E-CLIP), which provides social, economic, and psychological support afforded to former rebels who have decided to return to the fold of the law.

Lt. Col. Van Donald Almonte, 94th IB commander, said in a statement that this development is a testament to the commitment and dedication of the 94th IB and Himamaylan City in their fight against the insurgency.

The government will continue to provide assistance and opportunities to former rebels who choose to abandon the armed struggle and return to mainstream society, he added.

On the other hand, the four unidentified NPA rebels, who were killed in the March 1 encounter, were laid to rest on March 4.

The 94th IB in collaboration with Himamaylan City Social Welfare and Development Office facilitated their burial in the city’s cemetery, after their remains were not claimed by their families three days after the clash happened.

According to the Army, the remains were already in the advanced state of decomposition, making it difficult to identify them.

https://mb.com.ph/2023/03/09/26-former-npa-rebels-get-p225000-cash-aid-in-negros-oriental/