Pagadian City – Thirteen (13) out of the twenty one (21) former rebels belonging to the CPP-NPA operating in the province of Zamboanga del Sur were given recognition and assistance from the Office of the President Adviser for Peace Process(OPAPP) - Social Integration Program (SIP).
OPAPP-SIP is a process whereby former rebels (FR’s) and their dependents are provided a set of interventions to facilitate their integration into mainstream society.
This program is implemented pursuant to A.O. No.172 promulgated last March 23, 2007 by the President, Gloria Macapagal Arroyo herself to create an environment conductive to the promotion of peace in the pursuit of community development, provide access to economic and social opportunities for former rebels, and to collect, register and destroy small arms, weapons, ammunitions and explosives used and surrendered by the former rebels.
OPAPP’s long-term objective is to sustain genuine social and economic integration for former rebels and contribute healing divisions in every community of the country.
The 13 FR’s are out the 21 who are former rebels who surrendered to the 53rd Infantry (Matapat) Battalion under LTC Samuel Gayongorza, and duly processed by the local SIC’s (Local Social Integration Committees) as a sub-committee of the Provincial Peace and Order Council (PPOC) of Zamboanga del Sur.
The 13 FR"s were: Arnel Bantayan, Elmer Bantayan, Lito Bantayan, Matias Broce, Darry Jun Calaica, Jomar Catas, Jolindo Baes, Fonso Landong, Anaceto Medalla, Jomar Lingue, Alberto Navarro, Junrel Palma and Alfredo Hinaso Jr. all of Guipos, Lakewood, San Pablo, Lapuyan ,San Miguel and Buug ,Zamboanga Sibugay respectively.
Accordingly, the FR’s surrendered more or less seven (7) assorted firearms and received P20 thousand pesos cash assistance from OPAPP- SIP Program.
Meanwhile, USEC Pedro Cesar C. Ramboanga of OPAPP recently came to the province to witness the first local creation of the Social Integration Committee (SIC’s) of which is created and established as a sub-committee of the PPOC to facilitate the integration program locally.
“I am so happy to note that the provincial government of Zamboanga del Sur thru its chairman, Honorable Governor Aurora Enerio Cerilles convene this council to help and support OPAPP. Together with its composition, government agencies, non-government organizations, people organizations definitely will help this former rebels to become part again of their community, to take care of them, and help sustain the SIP thru networking.” USEC Ramboanga said.
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