The nine former
rebels faced the members of the Regional Peace and Order Council during the
body’s first quarter meeting at the Northern Samar provincial capitol on
Tuesday.
The former rebels
signed up as recipients of the Comprehensive Local Integration Program (CLIP)
and Local Social Integration Program (LSIP) of the province meant for rebel
returnees.
Under the program,
surrenderers receive livelihood and cash assistance.
They were given
PHP15,000 immediate cash aid on top of the PHP50,000 livelihood assistance and
varied amount depending on the type of firearms surrendered.
Prior to the release
of assistance, they are trained on how to manage livelihood activities and
manage finances.
Nido and his wife
Sally (not their real names) were among the nine rebels presented during the
council meeting. The couple has 10 children.
The father was a
member of Citizen Armed Force Geographical Unit (CAFGU) in his hometown in
Northern Samar when he received death threats from the New People’s Army (NPA).
He recalled that
decades back, the NPA came to their house and offered him only two choices --
to die or leave his hometown. He chose the latter and his family settled in
Manila for a year.
With very unstable
income to sustain their daily needs, they went back to his hometown in Northern
Samar. His childhood friend convinced him and his wife to join the
organization.
Out of fear, he
agreed to join the organization tasked to help communist rebels raise
revolutionary taxes while his wife prepares food for the armed rebels.
“They don’t have
regular schedule to visit us. When they did, I am obliged to cook and feed
them. Many time, I even borrowed money to buy food for them,” Sally said.
After several years
of being a member of the NPA, the couple decided to turn themselves in and
avail of the government’s CLIP and LSIP.
“This is a very good
decision that we made because unlike the NPA who gave use false hope and
promises, the government is sincere to help us. They are giving us chances to
change our life and start a new life by providing us means to run a
livelihood,” Sally said.
Boy (not his real
name), 34, was convinced by the NPA to join the organization after they
promised to send him to school, but he ended up doing errands for the group.
For staying six
months in NPA camps, Boy said joined clashes against government forces.
“I was afraid when I
was still with them,” Boy shared. “I made the decision to leave the group
because I know my life was in danger.”
He is optimistic to
go back to school as a Grade 4 student now that he’s back to normal life away
from rebellion.
Department of the
Interior and Local Government (DILG) Northern Samar provincial director Valente
Bajet said that those who availed of CLIP and LSIP are guaranteed safety by the
military and the Philippine National Police.
Since the provincial
government implemented LSIP, Bajet said they had already processed the
assistance for three batches of rebel surrenderers.
RPOC held a meeting
in Northern Samar to showcase the good practices of the province in dealing
with insurgency problem by implementing the LSIP, according to DILG Regional
Director Maribel Sacerdoncillo.
The body will hold
its second quarter meeting in Leyte province. (RTA/PNA)
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