By: Jennifer P. Rendon
HUNGER, coupled with exhaustion, was more than enough reason for a 26-year-old New People’s Army (NPA) combatant to return to the government’s fold.
Alias Den-Den voluntarily surrendered to the Philippine Army’s 61st Infantry Battalion on October 16, 2019.
Lieutenant Colonel Joel Benedict Batara, 61st IB commander, said Den-Den is a member of the NPA’s Southern Front, Komiteng Rehiyon-Panay.
Den-Den, who hails from the first district of Iloilo, also yielded a 12-gauge shotgun with 11 live ammunitions and an NPA flag.
“He admitted to us during the tactical interview that intolerable starvation, fatigue, and discrimination inside the group forced him to surrender. He was also bothered by his conscience because of the human rights abuses being committed by his group,” Batara said.
For the Army commander, Den-Den is a living witness of the NPA’s deception and false promises.
“His surrender affirmed our previous statement that armed struggle will bring nothing but suffering and death,” Batara said.
Meanwhile, Batara reiterated his call to the remaining NPA members to peacefully surrender and avail the government’s Enhanced –Comprehensive Local Integration Program (E-CLIP) for them to start a new and productive life together with their families.
Under E-CLIP, Den-Den will receive P15,000 Immediate Assistance; P50,000.00 Livelihood Assistance and Firearm Remuneration for his surrendered firearm.
The immediate and Livelihood Assistance are component benefits of the E-CLIP which provides a complete package of assistance to former rebels. Immediate Assistance is for the mobilization expenses of the FRs while his/her enrolment in the program is being processed while the Livelihood Assistance is a support for sustenance.
The other benefits of the E-CLIP that the surrenderee may also avail includes reintegration assistance, Philhealth enrolment, medical assistance, educational assistance, Modified Conditional Cash Transfer, legal assistance, and healing and reconciliation initiatives.
Some local government units (LGUs) are also providing additional support to former rebels within their area of jurisdiction like financial and livelihood support and assistance securing a job abroad.
On July 19, 2019, two NPA members also yielded to military authorities.
Alias Aguila, 51, team leader of NPA’s Special Partisan Unit (SPARU), Komiteng Rehiyon-Panay, and alias Baby, 33, a political guide and medical officer of Squad 2, Suyak Platoon, Southern Front, Komiteng Rehiyon –Panay had voluntarily turned themselves after their aversion to the rebel movement.
