TEN members of the “Militia ng Bayan” of the New People’s Army serving as support group from Sallapadan, Abra surrendered to the Abra Provincial Police Office (APPO) through Sallapadan Mayor Grande Cardenas.
Their surrender was formally received by the Police Regional Office-Cordillera (PRO-Cor) through their oath of allegiance before PRO–Cor deputy regional director for administration Brigadier General Ulysses Gohel at Camp Juan Duyan in Abra capital town during the turnover of equipment by PRO-Cor to Abra PPO.
“Hopefully, they will be the initial number of surenderees that have abide by the call of our President Rodrigo Duterte for the rebels wanting to go back to society to undergo with the whole of nation approach under Executive Order number 70. One of the approaches that we have instituted is to convince them to surrender to government through the local government units which Sallapadan did guided by our Municipal and Provincial Police Offices,” said Abra PPO director Colonel Alfredo Dangani.
The surrenderers also turned over to government a grenade, rifle, explosive devices and M203 ammunition.
Dangani explained these surrenderers will be delisted from the order of battle and will be processed for possible benefits under the Enhanced Comprehensive Local Integration Program (E-CLIP) where former rebels can avail of benefits, such as livelihood, medical, education, housing, and legal assistance.
“Those PNP members who have relatives associated with the Militia ng Bayan were the once who actually convinced them to surrender aside from Governor Joy Bernos who also did the same. We will make it a point to process their documents so that they can received local assistance aside from what the national government provides to rebel returnees,” Dangani stated.
Abra PPO is set to strengthen its whole of province approach to finally end terrorist activities in the 27 municipalities of the province, aside from initiating measures to prevent children from being involved in terrorist activities and even drugs.
“Together with the AFP, there are still areas affected by insurgency particularly Tubo, Laccub and Malibcong but we believe that we are gaining ground because of this surrender. Our police force have launched the ‘Kabataan Laban sa Droga’ which seeks to stop the children to not only be involved in drugs but terrorist activities as well, we will also be organizing this program in schools so that we can prevent them from being recruited by the communist terrorists ,” Dangani added.