Benguet locks door on CPLA

MEMBERS of the Provincial Board passed a resolution on Monday refusing to recognize the Cordillera Peoples

Liberation Army (CPLA) in the province of Benguet.

Proponent Board Member Florencio Bentrez said the province does not recognize other armed group except the Armed Forces of the Philippines.

The alderman added the motion is in support to the Regional Law Enforcement Coordinating Committee(RLECC) resolution no. CAR 01 s. 2015 urging the local government units, through the local chief executives, and the public information agency to widely disseminate the non-existence and non-recognition of the CPLA and anyone claiming to be members of the organization.

Due to the closure agreement, the resolution stated there is no legal basis for the CPLA’s continued existence and presence in the province and by the reason, any activity will be conducting in Benguet without any legal basis and contrary to law.

Benguet Governor Crescencio Pacalso during the Provincial Peace and Order Council earlier declared there is no CPLA in the province.

Pacalso also urged the group to stop recruitment in the area.

“There is no CPLA in the province of Benguet,” said the governor.

CPLA, a militant organization based in the Cordillera region founded by Conrado Balweg in 1898 has long been disbanded and integrated in the army.

Last March during a visit in Abra, Presidential Adviser on Peace Process Jesus Dureza said they plan to give CPLA livelihood particularly in farming to sustain themselves while for those wanting to bear arms will be trained as security guards but not as members of the armed forces.

Dureza emphasized the government’s moves for their re-integration though a program on peace and development.