A total of P365,000 in various assistance has been released by the government to former rebels (FRs) in Negros Occidental through the government’s Enhanced-Comprehensive Local Integration Program (E-CLIP).
The turn-over of benefits was led by provincial director Ferdinand Panes of the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG)-Negros Occidental, in rites held at their office on Thursday.
Seven former members of the New People’s Army (NPA) received immediate assistance of P15,000 each, or a total of P105,000.
The checks, released by the provincial government, were turned over by provincial social welfare development officer Elena Serenias to the recipients.
One of the seven recipients was given additional P50,000 as remuneration for .45 caliber pistol he surrendered to the authorities.
A separate check of P210,000 as reintegration assistance was released by the DILG to the Philippine Army’s 303rd Infantry Brigade (IB) represented by Maj. Franco Ver Lopez, civil-military operations head.
The amount will be used by the 15th Infantry Battalion for the subsistence or meal cost of FRs who have been placed under its protection while processing their benefits under the E-CLIP.
The E-CLIP is one of the programs under the National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (NTF-ELCAC), a body created by President Rodrigo Duterte through Executive Order No. 70.
It aims to ensure sustainable and inclusive peace and put an end to the 50-year armed conflict perpetrated by the Communist Party of the Philippines-New People’s Army (CPP-NPA).
Col. Inocencio Pasaporte, commander of 303IB based in Murcia, Negros Occidental, said the government remains sincere in helping those who have become victims of the lies and deception of the CPP-NPA.
Col. Romeo Baleros, director of Negros Occidental Police Provincial Office, echoed Pasaporte’s call for the communist rebels in the province to return to the fold of the law.
“As the TF-ELCAC is gaining momentum, we are continuously calling for the peaceful surrender of the remnant forces of the NPA in the province,” he added. (PNA)
