The Armed Forces of the Philippines welcomed and assisted 72 surrenderees in Misamis Oriental after they grew weary of the hardships and violence they had to go through in the boondocks in the hands of the Communist Terrorist Group-New People’s Army (CTG-NPA).
Former rebel Sandy Culla confessed that “naisipan kong sumuko and lumayo sa kilusan dahil sa walang tamang pagkain at patuloy na pagpapatrolya ng mga sundalo. Kung nasa kilusan pa ako, wala akong bukas at mamamatay ako roon na walang
kabuluhan (I realized I had to surrender and stay away from the movement because there was no food and we continued to patrol for soldiers. If I stay with the movement, I will not have any future and I would die senselessly.”
Alias Sandy is just one of more than 70 former rebels who benefited from the Enhanced Comprehensive Local Integration Program (E-CLIP). He received more than ₱600,000 worth of assistance after surrendering 5 high caliber weapons.
By virtue of Executive Order 70, President Duterte gives fresh opportunities for rebels going back to the folds of the law to start a peaceful life with the help of the government.
58IB Commanding Officer Lieutenant Colonel Ricky Canatoy disclosed that a total of ₱5.5 million in benefits were distributed to the ex-insurgents.
Lt. Col. Ricky Canatoy is convinced that “ito kapag nakita ng ating mga kababayan at lalong-lalo na sa mga nasa kabundukan with the NPA, kapag makita nila ang kanilang mga former colleague na nakatanggap ng ganoong assistance, hindi malayong susunod sila (once our countrymen sees this especially those who went in hiding in the mountains with the NPA, once they see their former colleagues receiving that kind of assistance, it is not a far-off possibility that they will follow suit.”
Generals of the AFP in Region 10 are also optimistic that more revolutionaries will lay down their arms when they get tired of the bloodbath.- Jasper Marie Rucat, PIA-Northern Mindanao
