Leyte province extended support to surrendered NPA supporters and sympathizers

By Provincial Media Relations Center (PMRC-Leyte)
November 22, 2007

TACLOBAN CITY, Leyte  –  The provincial government of Leyte extended the initial assistance to farmer organization members who recently surrendered to government troops after admitting they have been supporters and sympathizers of the communist movement in the hinterlands of San Isidro town.

This during the Tripartite Consultative Assembly initiated by the Philippine Army and the local government unit of San Isidro town Tuesday which was attended by more or less one thousand members of the Kahugpungang Mag-uuma sa San isidro (KAMAS) members held at the Municipal Gymnasium of San Isidro, Leyte.

According to Leyte Governor Carlos Jericho Petilla the initial assistance were in the form of rice, canned goods and some relief goods.

However, the governor said, he is expecting for the local government unit of San Isidro to request other assistance, in financial terms, to aid the farmer-surrenderees get back their feet in normal society and he said the provincial government is willing to extend financial help.

With recent talks with army officials in the province, the governor said, they have also initially requested from the province financial reward in exchange of surrendered firearms under the government’s Balik-Baril Program.

The "Balik Baril" program consisting of cash and in kind materials are given to the rebel returnees in exchange for their surrendered firearms. The program intends to provide initial assistance to the surrenderees as they are integrated in the mainstream of the Philippine society.

“I agreed to it provided everything would be in order and the firearms would really be those surrendered,” Gov. Petilla said while extolling the army in the province for being active and in constant coordination with the local government unit in its drive to flush out rebels from their lair and encourage them to return to the fold of the law.

“What the government is actually offering is to give them a chance to live normal lives without any fear of being arrested or killed in armed confrontation and make them realize that there is hope to alleviate their lives. This in effect is motivation enough for these communist terrorists (CTs) to surrender voluntarily with or without firearms,” the governor added.