• GILBERT P. BAYORAN
The provincial government of Negros Occidental distributed Monday, Dec. 18, P1.2 million in financial assistance and 12 heads of carabao to 57 former rebels.
Forty-two of them got P30,000 each while 15 members of the defunct Revolutionary Proletarian Army-Alex Boncayao Brigade, who already received numerous assistance after entering into a peace agreement with the national government, received one carabao each.
Governor Eugenio Jose Lacson, who was assisted by Brig. Gen. Orlando Edralin, commander of the Philippine Army’s 303rd Infantry Brigade (IB) in the distribution of assistance, lauded their decision to abandon the armed struggle to reunite with their respective families, especially during the yuletide season.
The 42 former rebels surrendered to the 62nd, 79th and 94th Infantry Battalions, which are under the 303IB’s supervision.
During the awarding of financial assistance, Lacson also told the former rebels that the provincial government is offering educational scholarships to their dependents and even to them, if they are willing to avail of it.
He added that the decision of the 42 rebels to surrender is a big help in preparation for the declaration of Negros Occidental as an insurgency-free province.
Three NPA guerilla fronts in Negros, including the Northern Negros, Central Negros 1 and 2, have been declared as dismantled by the authorities.
Edralin said their efforts are now geared towards the dismantling of the Regional Strike Force of the Komiteng Rehiyonal Negros/Cebu/Bohol/Siquijor, which reinforces the remnants of the dismantled guerilla fronts.
“We are optimistic that the soonest, we can accomplish our objective to attain an insurgency-free Negros Island,” he added, noting that the remaining guerilla front is only the South West Front in the area of 302nd Infantry Brigade, whose remnants are also on the run. | GB
