Cordillera Peoples Liberation Army struggle ‘over’

THE struggle of the Cordillera Peoples Liberation Army (CPLA) is already nearing its closure, said Ifugao Governor Eugene Balitang.

Balitang, who also heads the Regional Peace and Order Council (RPOC), said the council already resolved the issue of factions in the CPLA when the Regional Development Council delegated to them the issue of two factions in the Cordillera Bodong Administration (CBA)-CPLA.

The faction is led by Arsenio Humiding and Marcelina Bahatan and the other one is led by Miguel Sugguiyao and Andres Ngao-i.

The Office of Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process (Opapp) assured to give economic and livelihood packages to the Sugguiyao faction.

The Humiding group is no longer CPLA as it is now the Cordillera Peace and Development Forum, which also seeks membership in the RPOC, said Balitang.

He added the memorandum of agreement signed by Opapp for the Philippine Government with the CBA-CPLA was already a successful closure.

He said the infrastructure projects brought about by the closure agreement based on the reports of the Opapp have been successful and have reached communities in Ifugao where former members of CBA-CPLA live.

Opapp Assistant Secretary Howard Cafagauan said they are well on their way of finishing infrastructure projects connected with the Payapa at Masaganang Ani (Pamana) projects in the region.

Some P263.575 million for 118 projects was allocated for the closure agreement.

In Abra, out of P46,800,000 some P30,500,000 funds have already been downloaded to project implementers. Apayao downloaded some 71 percent of P28,800,000 fund, while in Benguet out of the P 11,100,000 allocation, P5,760,000 or 52 percent have reached implementers.

In Ifugao, out of P523 million budget, some P33 million have been released while in Mt. Province out of P74-million allocation, only P4 million have been released while no funds out of P42 million allocation for Pamana projects in Kalinga have been released as of July.

Cafagauan said of the total fund of P196.475 million came from the Pamana 2011 funds: P50 million from DILG; P17.1 million from DSWD; P9.5 million from National Anti-Poverty Commission-Department of Health-DILG Salintubig project; and P1.2 million from the Education department.