THE government is offering to pay P50,000 for every M-16 assault rifle that the rebel returnees of the New People's Army (NPA) would relinquish when they surrender and return to the fold society.

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Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process Hermogenes Esperon Jr. said this is on top of the P20,000 cash assistance and P50,000 livelihood aid being extended to rebel returnees.

Esperon said the increase aims to entice more NPA members to surrender. In the past, the offer per assault rifle was at P18,000.

“That means a rebel returnee stands to receive a whopping sum of P120,000 if he brings with him an M-16 and yield them to authorities. The amount is more than enough for a former rebel to start his or her own small business,” he said.

President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo earlier ordered the neutralization of the NPA by 2010.

Peace negotiations with the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP)-NPA had been on impasse since 2004 after the United States and European Union countries declared them as terrorists.

The Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) estimates that the NPA are now down to 5,000 from a high of 26,800 in 1986. (JMR/Sunnex)

For more Philippine news, visit Sun.Star Pampanga.

(October 20, 2008 issue)
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