• GILBERT P. BAYORAN
Six former members of th e New People’s Army have joined the Citizen Armed Force Geographical Unit (CAFGU) Active Auxiliary program of the Armed Forces of the Philippines.
They were among the 80 graduates of the CAFGU Active Auxiliary-I Basic Military Training Class 38-2026 during the graduation ceremony held at Barangay La Granja in La Carlota City on June 21.
The graduates completed the basic military training conducted under the quota of the 62nd and 79th Infantry Battalions.
In his keynote speech, Col. Don Villanueva, director of the 605th Community Defense Center, 6th Regional Community Defense Group, highlighted the inclusion of the six former rebels as an example of the government’s reintegration efforts.
They had chosen to leave armed struggle and return to lawful civilian life through community service, he added.
Villanueva said the training program provided the graduates with instruction in leadership, discipline, teamwork, and community service to prepare them for their roles as CAFGU active auxiliaries in supporting peace and security initiatives in their respective communities.
The graduation reflects the continuing efforts to strengthen grassroots peace and security by developing responsible citizen-soldiers and encouraging former combatants to participate in community development and nation-building, he added. | GPB
