700 former rebels meet with Duterte in Davao

ZAMBOANGA CITY: Some 700 former communist rebels faced President Rodrigo Duterte in a dialogue organized by the Philippine military on Thursday in

Army Major Ezra Balagtey, spokesman for the Eastern Mindanao Command, said those who at People’s Army (NPA) who surrendered this year in the provinces of Agusan, Bukidnon, Surigao, Davao, Cotabato and Sarangani.

He said many of those who yielded to the govern - hood aid as part of the so-called Comprehensive Local Integration Program or CLIP.

Others, Balagtey added, are still being processed so they can also receive assistance from the government.

“The former rebels who were from the provinces the automatic recipients of the CLIP of the govern livelihood assistance,” he said.

that each former communist rebel can get from CLIP livelihood and a remuneration for the surrendered turned over to the government.

He said the President has ordered government agencies to send their representatives to the meeting to help and hasten the processing of the rebel

had also attended the event not only to witness but also to hold dialogues with the former communist rebels and offer talks on government’s social services, health, infrastructure, livelihood, education, social justice and governance programs to help former communist rebels reintegrate into society smoothly,” according to Balagtey.

A number of former rebels has also joined the military’s Citizens Armed Forces Geographical Unit (Cafgu) to help troops guard their communities from NPA attacks.

“There are former rebels who are now Cafgu members and they are our partners in securing our people and the community,” Balagtey said.

He appealed to the rebels to take advantage of the government’s amnesty program and return to the fold of the law and live a peaceful life with their families.

in an effort to overthrow the democratic government and install a communist state in the country.

Duterte has declared a limited Christmas truce to allow government soldiers to enjoy the holiday would not stop law enforcement operations against the rebel group.