ONE hundred thirteen former rebels have received a total of P5.985 million financial assistance from the government, the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG), a military official said Wednesday.
Army's 4th Infantry Division public affairs chief Major Rodulfo Cordero said the financial aid was distributed through the agency’s Enhanced Comprehensive Local Integration Program (ECLIP).
This is a “locally-driven, managed, and implemented program which veers away from the past practice of pre-packaged interventions designed at the national level, according to Cordero.
“The program responds to the circumstances, needs and concerns of former rebels in a sustainable and consistent manner,” Cordero further explained of the ECLIP.
He said that the DILG’s ECLIP provides each rebel surrenderer with an immediate cash aid of P15,000, livelihood assistance amounting to P50,000, and reintegration assistance of P21,000, as well as firearms remuneration for each surrendered firearm.
The former rebels (FRs) were composed of 65 NPA regular members and 48 militias or members of the milisyang bayan (MB), according to Cordero.
Joint Task Force Diamond and the current 4ID Commander Maj. General Andres C. Centino said 83 of the former rebels were came from different CPP-NPA units operating in Surigao del Sur who surrendered to the Infantry Battalions of 36th, 75th and 3rd Special Forces Battalion.
All these units are under the operational control of 401st Infantry Brigade under Brig Gen Allan Hambala. The 30 others surrendered to PNP units in Surigao del Sur.
Centino said to the remaining CPP-NPA members to surrender and avail this is your chance to avail of the assistance from the government so you will have peaceful and productive lives with your families," said Centino.
"The government is waiting for you, abandon the armed struggle now while you still have a chance," Centino said.
DILG Surigao del Sur provincial director Pedrito Alacaba said each of the NPA regular member received at least P65,000 (P50,000 for livelihood and P15,000 immediate cash assistance), while the militia received P15,000 cash assistance.
For firearms remuneration, Alacaba said that those who have surrendered firearms were also paid by the government.
It is depending on the kind of firearm that was surrendered, according to Alacaba adding ranges from P5,000 for a low powered to P60,000 for a high powered firearm.
Surigao del Sur governor Alexander T. Pimentel handed over the assistance during the E-CLIP awarding ceremony spearheaded by the Caraga Regional Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (RTF-ELCAC).
The Caraga RTF-ELCAC is chaired by Cabinet Secretary Karlo Alexei Nograles who is also the Cabinet Officer for Regional Development and Security for Caraga.
The Department of Social Welfare and Development and the Department of Agriculture also distributed livelihood assistance to the beneficiaries.
In his message, Pimentel underscored the importance of people's support in ending the insurgency in the country.
"To the peace loving Surigaonons, let us join together in ending the insurgency problem in our province by not supporting the CPP-NPA," said Pimentel.
Without the support of the masses, the government will be able to end this problem, according to Pimentel.
Meanwhile, Secretary Nograles, via video message, welcomed the FRs for returning and pledging allegiance to the government.
He assured them that the government is doing its best to provide the needed services in conflict-affected and in geographically isolated and disadvantaged areas. (Ben Balce)
