SND Awards E-CLIP to 71 Former Rebels in Mis Occ

By JONG CADION

  

PAGADIAN CITY, Zambo del Sur (Nov, 17, 2018) – At least Seventy-

one Former Rebels (FRs) of Misamis Occidental were awarded with financial assistance of the Enhanced Comprehensive Local Integration Program (E-CLIP) of the government by Sec. Delfin Lorenzana, Department of National Defense, in Provincial Capitol, Oroquieta City Saturday (November 17, 2018)., military official said.

Capt. Clint Antipala, Acting Division Public  Affairs (DPAO)  Chief disclosed that during the awarding ceremony, Sec. Lorenza personally handed over the checks worth Php65,000.00 to former rebels and Php15,000.00 to Yunit Militia members as part of the reintegration and financial assistance of the program.

Capt. Antipala said that the event was attended by Governor Herminia Ramiro, Province of Misamis Occidental; Asec Roosque Calacat, Assistant Secretary for Barangay Affairs and Partnership; Usec Reynaldo Mapagu, Task Force Balik Loob; Vice Governor Virginia Almonte; Major General Roseller Murillo, 1st Infantry Division Commander; E-CLIP committees, PNP, LGUs and other stakeholders.

"Sixty-nine out of seventy-one surrenderees were regular Communist NPA Terrorist members. The two others were Yunit Militia ," said Col. Bagnus Gaerlan, 102nd Infantry Brigade Commander.

"E-CLIP have changed the lives of FRs in Misamis Occidental. With this program, rebels in our province decreased." said Gov. Ramiro.

"To our FRs, there is no turning back, you (FRs) are now our partners for peace and development in our province," she added.

Alias Man-Man, one of the FR, during his testimony mentioned his hardships and struggles while with the NPA armed group.

He likewise thanked the president for the reintegration program.

"The promise of our government is different compared to Communist NPA Terrorist. We fulfil our promise of a good governance, they (NPA) didn’t." said Sec. Lorenzana.

"The E-CLIP thru the leadership of President Duterte is a complete, where convergence of government units and agencies to serve our FRs is being implemented," he added.

"We thanked Gov. Ramiro and the stakeholders of province of Misamis Occidental for being active in implementing the E-CLIP," said Major General Murillo.

Oath of allegiance of FRs was also conducted to pledge for their commitment, loyalty and support to the government.

The E-CLIP seeks to contribute towards achieving the goal of permanent and peaceful closure of all armed conflicts with non-state armed groups. (With DPAO PR and Photos)