Former rebels continue to avail of support from the government

CAMP BANCASI, Butuan City – Another batch of former New People’s Army (NPA) members have availed of the government’s financial and livelihood support, according to the area command of the Army’s Northeastern and Northern Mindanao 4thInfantry (Diamond) Division (4th ID).

Brig. Gen. Franco Nemesio M. Gacal, commanding general of the 4th ID, the largest maneuvering division of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) in Mindanao, said the former CPP-NPA rebels got the support from the government through the Enhanced Comprehensive Local Integration Program or E-CLIP.

A total of 223 ex-rebels, who surrendered to the different units under the 4th ID since January, this year, availed of the E-CLIP.

Cash assistance of R65,000 for livelihood opportunities was extended to each of the former NPA rebels, Gacal said.

Some of the former rebels are still undergoing the E-CLIP process, he said.

Recently, 31 former CPPNPA rebels received their livelihood and immediate cash assistance during ceremony held in Cagayan de Oro City, the 4th ID chief reported.

“Hopefully, the assistance of the government to the former rebels will pave way to change their lives for the better and become good examples for their former comrades to go back to mainstream society,” Gacal said.

The 4th ID chief has called other remaining CPP-NPA members who are still running in the mountains to come down and avail the E-CLIP and peace and development program of the government.

“As we embark on a 'peaceful war' by bringing in government services to resolve social ills in the remote communities, we have to continue our security patrols in the hinterlands so the remaining CPP-NPA terrorists will not have the chance to disrupt our peacekeeping campaign,” Brig. Gen. Gacal added.