Tuesday, February 05, 2008 Gov't offers higher pay for rebel guns By Grace L. Plata
GOVERNMENT intends to offer higher payment and assurance of livelihood for rebels who surrender with their firearms.
Peace Process Secretary Jesus Dureza said Sunday that the President has already issued an order, which is only waiting for congressional approval, to raise the payment for the firearms.
"What does he do if he wants to avail of the program? Syempre bababa siya. Surrender to the local government. Requirement ang pag-surrender ng firearm para mabayaran sila. Pwede rin namang mag-surrender na walang firearm, but he will get no payment. Baka kasi pagkaperahan ng ating mga kapitbahay diyan at magpanggap na rebels para makuha ang pera," Dureza said.
Dureza added that raising the tariff is aimed at removing firearms in the communities.
"Before sila mag-surrender, since malaki ang bayad sa black market, doon na lang nila ibenta ang firearm, magkapera pa sila," Dureza said.
Upon surrendering to the local government unit, a board composed of the City Prosecutor, representatives of the Philippine National Police (PNP) and the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP), and the Amnesty Officer from Opapp will validate whether the person is indeed a former rebel.
"Pag na-process na ang papeles, pwede nang magka amnesia ang gobreyno and forget his criminal liability though the civil liability still stands," Dureza said.
The surrendered firearm, however, will be not handed over to the AFP or the PNP.
"We have already anticipated reactions saying na pera yun ng gobyerno and kulang pa nga ng baril ang ating pulis at sundalo. Tama nga naman. But we have to do this to remove the guns from the communities," Dureza said.
"Dapat hindi na maibalik ito in the open that is why the firearms will be directly handled by OPAPP," Dureza added.
Returnees will also be made to avail of testing, training and capacity-building programs that enable them to become good implementors and managers of livelihood and development projects that will be given to them by the government.
