76 ex-rebels in Nueva Ecija get financial aid from gov't

By Jason De Asis / Philippine News Agency

CASH ASSISTANCE. Nueva Ecija Vice Governor Anthony Umali leads the distribution of financial assistance to 76 former rebels in a simple ceremony held at the Nueva Ecija Police Provincial Office in Cabanatuan City, Nueva Ecija on Tuesday (May 11, 2021). Of the total figures, 50 were former regular members of the New People’s Army (NPA) and 26 were former members of the Militia ng Bayan (MB). (Photo courtesy of the Army's 7th Infantry Division)

BALER, Aurora – A total of 76 former rebels in the province of Nueva Ecija, who recently surrendered to the authorities, have received financial assistance under the national government’s Enhanced Comprehensive Local Integration Program (E-CLIP).

Of the total number, 50 were former regular members of the New People’s Army (NPA) and 26 were former members of the Militia ng Bayan (MB).

In a text message to the Philippine News Agency on Wednesday, Lt. Col. Reandrew P. Rubio, commander of the Philippine Army's 91st Infantry “Sinagtala” Battalion, said each former MB member received a PHP15,000 immediate assistance while the former NPA rebels received PHP65,000 each as livelihood and immediate assistance.

He said the distribution of financial assistance was held at the Nueva Ecija Police Provincial Office (NEPPO) on Tuesday.

Rubio lauded the former rebels for deciding to return to the fold of the law as he gave assurance of continuous assistance from the national government, especially with the strengthened implementation of President Rodrigo Duterte’s Executive Order No. 70.

He likewise asked the former rebels and their supporters to cooperate in the government’s peace and development efforts that would put an end to local communist conflict in the provinces of Aurora and Nueva Ecija.

Meanwhile, Nueva Ecija Vice Governor Anthony M. Umali, who led the distribution of financial assistance to the former rebels, cited the joint anti-insurgency efforts of different government agencies.

He said that through such efforts, “there is hope in bringing back our lost ‘kababayans’ (town mates) to the fold of the law and finally end the insurgency through peaceful resolution.”

“The provincial government of Nueva Ecija will always extend its hand to help every Novo Ecijano who has been misled by leftist groups to ably reintegrate them into society through the help of E-CLIP,” Umali said in an official social media post. (PNA)