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The 10 rebel returnees with Governor
Jose Alvarez (7th from left) of Palawan, Col. Robert Velasco (8th from
left) of WESCOM, and Gail Ablaña of PSWDO (1st from right) on December
21 at the Provincial Capitol Building. (Photo courtesy of WESCOM
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Manila,
Philippines – Ten members of the New People’s Army (NPA) who returned and
surrendered to the government received livelihood assistance worth P25, 000
each.
The said cash
amount came from the provincial government’s Local Social Integration Program
(LSIP) of Puerto Princesa, Palawan.
On Tuesday, Governor
Jose Alvarez together with the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) Western
Command (WESCOM) awarded the assistance to the surrenderees.
A simple
ceremony at the Governor’s Office at the Capitol last December 21 was held for
the awarding.
These former insurgents
surrendered in September, following the conduct of focused civil and military
operations, Southern part of Palawan – in particular. And of the beneficiaries,
three were women.
“I left the revolutionary movement for quite
some time now. I surrendered as I want to clear my name because I was told I am
in the military’s order of battle. Without surrendering, I still feel I am not
free to roam around. I constantly worry about my safety,” says Rico Libuta who
surrendered in July and a former member of NPA rebels
So far, 26
more former NPA members who surrendered are being processed by the WESCOM and
the Provincial Social Welfare and Development Office, They will also receive
the same livelihood assistance.
Sometime in
August, eleven rebel returnees also received financial assistance from Palawan
provincial government. Each of them received P15, 000.
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| Gov. Alvarez giving out checks to former NPA beneficiaries in August (photo from PNA) |
source: PNA
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