THE 4th Infantry Division's (4ID) 403rd Infantry Brigade (403IB) warned the public of facing liability if found to aid or provide assistance to the communists and its rebel arm, the New People’s Army.
Commander Edgardo de Leon, of the 403IB said on Wednesday, February 13,
said any individual or organization found to be providing any form of assistance to the CPP-NPA or their affiliated organizations, would risk being sanctioned not only by the Philippine Laws, but also by the countries that are members of the EU.
The European Union earlier tagged the Communist Party of the Philippines and the NPA as terrorists.
On the same day, 30 former NPA rebels surrendered to the government and were restored of their civilian status by availing the Enhanced Comprehensive Local Integration Program (E-Clip).
In a formal ceremony, the E-Clip Committee of Misamis Oriental co-chaired by Misamis Oriental Governor Bambi Emano and De Leon handed-over start-up financial assistance for livelihood amounting to P65,000 to 30 former NPA regulars members. Most of them are from Indigenous Peoples communities.
Under the President’s Administrative Order no. 10, the inter-agency Task Force Balik-Loob was created to administer the E-Clip program to expedite government’s reintegration efforts for former CPP-NPA members.
A month ago, 50 former rebels (FRs) also received the same E-Clip benefits in Malaybalay City, Bukidnon. More FRs are coming out and being processed by the military and the Local Government Units as the 4ID embarked on a "Peaceful War" espoused by its newly installed Commander, BGen Franco Nemesio Gacal.
In his message, Gacal reiterated 4ID's "Peaceful War" approach in addressing the multi-dimensional nature of communist terrorism, aimed at "combating" or solving the socio-economic issues in remote villages that are being exploited by the communist terrorists.
"Peaceful War is not literally ‘war’ through the use of military weapons, but it is a unique form of warfare, sans violence, through the delivery of social services by government and non-government entities," he said.
"Peaceful War shall eliminate the reasons for rebellion. Peaceful War shall bring lasting peace for sustainable economic growth and it will be launched from the grassroots level communities which our peace stakeholders in the Region shall designate as Convergence Areas for Peace and Development (CAPDev)," he added.
The surrender ceremony officially restored the International Humanitarian Law protection to the former rebels.
The Provincial Government of Misamis Oriental and Task Force Balik-Loob officially restored upon the FRs the IHL protection that they lost when the CPP-NPA-NDF turned them into combatants. The FRs will now undergo a series of socio-economic interventions to prepare for their reintegration back to the communities where they came from.