By Glazyl Y. Masculino
BACOLOD CITY – Three couples, all former members of the New People’s Army (NPA), tied the knot in a mass wedding organized by the Army’s 79th Infantry Battalion (IB) last Thursday.
The ceremony, attended by family and friends, took place at the 79th IB headquarters in Barangay Bato, Sagay City, Negros Occidental.
Captain Dan Carlo Samoza, civil-military operations officer of the 79th IB, said the couples are residents of Escalante City who previously held key positions in the revolutionary movement.
Samoza explained that the Army took three months to prepare for the event after discovering that some of the rebel returnees had been living together for years without being officially married.
The couples had lived together for about five to eight years but struggled to get married due to difficulties in processing official documents, according to Samoza.
The Army facilitated the necessary paperwork and ensured the couples attended the required marriage seminars.
In addition to the wedding, the couples’ eight children were baptized during the event.
The 79th IB emphasized that the occasion highlighted the importance of strengthening family bonds, promoting the sanctity of marriage, and fostering peace within the community.
Family, as the basic unit of society, is particularly important for individuals transitioning from a life of conflict.
“This initiative demonstrates the Army’s commitment to supporting the reintegration of former rebels into mainstream society alongside their families,” Samoza said.
“We don’t want programs just for compliance or photo opportunities. We genuinely want to help them.”
This event aligns with the Philippine Army’s broader mission to support national development and security through community engagement and peace-building efforts.
Lieutenant Colonel Arnel Calaoagan, 79th IB commander, who served as one of the secondary sponsors at the wedding, expressed his appreciation for the sincerity of the former rebels in starting a new chapter in their lives.
He assured the newlyweds of the Army’s continued support.
“We have taken that solemn pledge together as a family, and we will not abandon you as your former comrades in arms did,” Calaoagan said in his message to the couples.
