TAGBILARAN CITY, Bohol (PIA)—Eight former active and armed members of the New People’s Army (NPA) who have recently surrendered to the government so they can start a new life, are now qualified for government reintegration assistance packages.
This as the Joint Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) and Philippine National Police (PNP) Intelligence Communities (JAPIC) issues them certifications that these people were indeed in the periodic status report (PSR) list of both or either police or army, or if they were not in the list, their names and persons were mentioned and corroborated by PSR list during tactical debriefings after their surrender.
At the recent joint meeting of the Provincial Peace and Order Council (PPOC) and the Provincial Anti-Drug Abuse Council (PADAC), the Armed Forces of the Philippines, which is tasked to lead in internal security operations, bared that seven surrenderees have already merited their certificates which makes the eligible for reintegration assistance.
Boholanos who used to be active armed members of the NPAs who has surrendered and are eligible for government help are Alias Paolo, vice platoon leader (SEF 2018) who is in the PSR and not in the PSR list (NPSRL): alias Clark, alias Eging, alias Loren, alias Kadoy, Alias Pacman and alias Victor.
Those NPSRL like alias Clark was later identified as member of Squad 3 of the Sandatahang Yunit Propaganda (SYP) Platoon, Bohol Party Committee (BPC 2019), alias Eging was member of squad 2 of SECOM3, BPC 2018, alias Loren as member of squad 1, SYP platoon, BPC 2021, alias Kadoy sa member of the front committee 4 (2004-2006) Commanding officer of the Militia ng Bayan (2012-2020).
Alias Pacman was later also identified at member and remnant of the BPC (2022-2024) while alias Victor was member of squad 2 SYP Platoon, BPC 2019, reports 47 IB’s 1Lieutenant Ronel Sarip, representing Colonel magno Mapalad.
Now endorsed to the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) for the processing of assistance, the 8, comprised of 7 active members and 1 Militia ng Bayan are the latest in the former Boholano rebels who are beneficiaries of the government’s enhanced-Comprehensive Local Integration Program (ECLIP).
They also bring to 95 the number of Boholanos who have fought against the government and are now getting the government’s reintegration assistance, according to Provincial Social Welfare and Development Officer, Carmelita Tecson.
These former rebels now called Kauban sa Reporma, can get livelihood assistance from the Department of Social Welfare and Development, livelihood assistance and immediate assistance from the DILG, in-kind-grants from the Department of Trade and Industry, housing from the National Housing Authority and the government’s firearms remuneration, if they surrendered with serviceable fire arms.
In Bohol, with the surrender of former armed rebels who can get government re-integration assistance comes with a cut-off date, Governor Erico Aristotle Aumentado who was also instrumental in bringing back to the folds of the law some 61 former rebels, put up a local reintegration assistance program.
The Kauban sa Reporma Program (KRP) is for rebel surrenderees who could not avail of the national ECLIP who were active members of the armed group from 2010-2018, did not benefit from the ECLIP and have been issued JAPIC certifications, Tecson shared.
Beneficiaries of the Aumentado instituted KRP can get P10K in immediate assistance, P30K in livelihood assistance, P15K reintegration assistance for the receiving unit who keeps the surrenderee custody for processing fees, provision of a temporary housing facility, security guarantees from the police and the army, and other forms of assistance.
In fact, according to Bohol Ending local communist armed conflict focal person Romeo Teruel, the package of assistance also includes remuneration of fire-arms, explosives, ammunition, vehicle and equipment used during involvement of the surrendered rebel with the communist terrorist group’s activities.
With this, Gov Aumentado calls on those Boholanos who may have been active in the underground and have lain low, to go to a trusted official and surrender to get cleared, and start anew. (RAHC/PIA-7/Bohol)
