GOVERNOR Wilter Yap Palma of Zamboanga Sibugay has urged the former New People’s Army (NPA) rebels in the province to convince their comrades to surrender to live a peaceful life.
Palma on Friday, December 13, led the groundbreaking ceremony for the construction of a halfway house that would serve as temporary shelter of former rebels while they are under documentation process.
The halfway house, which costs P5 million, is being constructed at the provincial capitol compound in Ipil Heights Village, Ipil, Zamboanga Sibugay.
Palma said the halfway house will also serve as the center for livelihood education and training of the former NPA rebels.
Colonel Leonel Nicolas, Army’s 102nd Infantry Brigade commander, said that 75 former NPA rebels are now in the custody of the 44th Infantry Battalion.
Nicolas said 21 of them are already enrolled in the Enhanced Comprehensive Local Integration Program (E-Clip) of the government while the remaining 54 former NPA rebels are still being processed.
Meanwhile, Palma said his administration is ready to listen the former NPA rebels to determine what their needs. (SunStar Zamboanga)