By Christine Magsayo
GUIPOS, Zamboanga del Sur – With the Gun for Peace Program of the government now, the Philippine Army has expressed optimism that more New People’s Army (NPA) rebels would surrender to avail themselves of the incentives.
Under this program, any NPA member who will surrender shall receive cash incentives for the firearms they will bring along.
It was learned that for M-16 , the government will pay P58 thousand and for 1 AK, P48 thousand.
Lt.Col. Alvin Luzon, commanding officer of the 53rd Infantry Battalion based in Guipos, Zamboanga del Sur, said the local government units of Zamboanga Peninsula are very responsive and supportive of the program. “In fact they offer an area for the members of the NPA that will surrender to start their livelihoods.”
102nd Brigade Commander, Col. IgnacioObligacion, who visited the 53rd Infantry Batallion Headquartersto personally meet the returnees,said“the government will surely support the request of the returnees to go back to school.”
He also expressed his happiness that the rebels hadvoluntarily surrendered without “exchanging fire with the armies.“Alamnamannatinnanahihiwalaylangsilanglandas, pero kung tutulungannatinsilapapuntasatamanglandas No need for fighting which is better kaysasa mag-away-away tayo,” he said.
(We all know that the rebels were just strayed in the wrong way, but if we will help them to be in the right path, then no need for fighting which is better than clashing with each other.)
NPA rebels are reportedly operating in the provinces of Zamboanga del Norte, Zamboanga del Sur and ZamboangaSibugay in region 9.
