Luna, Apayao – As they start a new and peaceful life, six former members of the New People’s Army received a total of P3,000,000 cash from the Apayao Provincial Local Government Unit.
The grant was given through Executive Order 22 series of 2022, an initiative of the administration of Governor Elias Bulut Jr. to provide a reward for the capture, arrest, or death of a communist terrorist group(CTG) member during a legitimate military operation.
These six CTGs got P500,000 cash each on November 22, 2023, in a ceremony held at BGVJr. Memorial Gymnasium in Luna.
The former rebels were identified as ‘Sim’, 33 years old, who spent 4 years in the movement; ‘Siray’, 33, and 6 years with CTG; ‘Bladdy’, 35, 18 years; ‘Axel’, 20, 3 years; ‘Lar’, 44, 21 years; and ‘Diya’, 28, 9 years as a rebel.
All of them were members of the Komiteng Probinsya (KomProb) Cagayan, Komiteng Rehiyon Cagayan Valley.
The six who are to receive other assistance from the national line agencies likewise took their oath of allegiance with the government.
‘Adda ak pay lang siguro kabakbakiran nga agrigrigat ti kasta unay’
One of the surrenderers,’Bladdy’ who was the Commander of the West Front Committee of KomProb expressed he didn’t expect to receive the said support from the government. He added that it was inculcated in their minds that they would be tortured or killed by the authorities should they decide to lay down their arms and surrender.
He further said that if it weren’t for the Philippine Army who enlightened him, he would have still been in the mountains.
“Nu haan ak natay, adda ak pay lang siguro kabakbakiran nga agrigrigat iti kasta unay,” he said.
Bladdy assured the government of his support in the fight to end the insurgency.
Diya who was the Finance Officer of the East Front Committee of KomProb, on the other hand, narrated one of the reasons she wanted to leave the movement was the corruption she saw, but she and her husband, Lar, weren’t allowed to exit
When they finally got to leave, she added they didn’t plan on turning themselves in to the government. But seeing that their former comrades who surrendered to the authorities were in good hands, they decided to do the same.
“Pinakamasayang pasko dahil magpapasko kaming mapayapa,” she said.
LISTEN TO STATION 1 RADIO: CLICK ME
.png)
Comments