Army enlists ex-rebels in livelihood program

TACLOBAN CITY, Dec. 5  -- The Philippine Army has enrolled five former communist rebels to the Comprehensive Local Integration Program (CLIP) after recently surrendering to authorities.

Army 8th Infantry Division acting spokesperson, Lt. Jessel Montajes, said the former rebels were from the remote villages of Guirang in Basey, Samar and Osmeña in Palapag, Northern Samar.

“The enrollment in CLIP will enable them to avail of financial and livelihood assistance from the government so that they can start a new and peaceful life,” Montajes said Tuesday.

The former rebels turned themselves in to government troops last Nov. 23-24 with their firearms and grenades.

Maj. Gen. Raul M. Farnacio, the army’s division commander welcomed the surrender of five rebels and encouraged others to voluntarily lay down their arms and live a normal life with their families.

“The surrender of NPA guerrillas only shows that the intensified strategy of your Army to counter the insurgency problem in Eastern Visayas is effective. It is also the result of the proactive cooperation of our stakeholders, above all the support given by the communities and local government units within our areas of operation,” Farnacio said.

Meanwhile, the Leyte provincial government awarded financial assistance to five rebel returnees during the joint 4th quarterly meeting of the provincial peace and order council and provincial anti-drug abuse council held in Villa Corazon village in Jaro town on Monday.

Governor Leopoldo Dominico Petilla handed over a PHP50,000 check from the Department of the Interior and Local Government to each former rebel and PHP20,000 from the provincial government as basic livelihood assistance to each surrenderer.

They also received an immediate assistance amounting to PHP15,000 for mobilization expenses while their enrollment in the program is being processed.

The former rebels are from the towns of Leyte, Carigara, Burauen, and Kananga.

CLIP, the National Reintegration Program for the New People’s Army, aims to achieve permanent and peaceful closure of the armed conflict with a non-state group. (RTA/PNA)