KORONADAL CITY, Philippines — Nineteen former New People’s Army (NPA) rebels received P20,000 in financial assistance from the provincial government of Sultan Kudarat on Friday.
The surrenderees are former members of the NPA’s Guerilla Fronts 72 and 73 who operated in Sultan Kudarat, South Cotabato and Davao del Sur.
Col. Efren Baluyot, First Mechanized Brigade commander, said the former rebels turned over grenades, ammunition and 15 high-powered firearms.
Maj. Gen. Cirilito Sobejana, 6th Infantry Division commander, said they would help facilitate the reintegration of the surrenderees into local communities.
Sobejana said the former rebels would also receive livelihood and other humanitarian support through the Enhanced Comprehensive Local Integration Program or E-CLIP. – John Unson