By Villamor Visaya, Jr./PNA
CAMP MELCHOR DELA CRUZ, Gamu, Isabela — The Army’s 5th Infantry Division (5ID) and the local governments of Cagayan and Ifugao gave financial assistance to 19 former New People’s Army (NPA) rebels under the Enhanced Comprehensive Local Integration Program (ECLIP) of the government, a military official said on Monday.
Maj. Jefferson Somera, 5ID spokesperson, told the Philippine News Agency on Monday that last Jan. 16, three former rebels received a hectare each of land in Santo Niño, Cagayan from the 17th Infantry Battalion and the provincial government of Cagayan in Tuguegarao City, while two former communist guerrillas and 14 former Militia ng Bayan members were given financial assistance on January 19 in Antipolo, Asipulo, Ifugao.
Somera said the two former guerrillas, identified as Ka Iyong and Ka Cindy (not their real names) received PHP65,000 each as immediate cash and livelihood assistance while the 14 former Militia members received PHP15,000 each as immediate cash assistance.
Maj. Gen. Perfecto Rimando Jr., 5ID commander, was elated with the distribution of land and financial assistance to the former guerrillas.
“Our government is sincere with its advocacy to help the returning rebels through the ECLIP to rebuild their lives,” he said.
“I also enjoin all the local elected officials, members of the academe and church leaders and our fellow Filipinos in the area of the 5th Infantry Division to support the localized peace talks by calling for the surrender of the remaining NPA members in Cagayan Valley and Cordillera Administrative Region (CAR),” he added.
Rimando said ending five decades of insurgency by the Communist Party of the Philippines–New People’s Army (CPP-NPA) and its allied National Democratic Front of the Philippines is “everybody’s responsibility”.
