Eight former rebels get P80,000 cash aid

By Glazyl Y. Masculino

BACOLOD City – The local government of Himamaylan City, Negros Occidental, through the City Social Welfare Development Office, turned over P80,000 worth of cash assistance to eight former members of the New People’s Army (NPA) last Thursday.

Mayor Rogelio Raymund Tongson Jr., represented by his Executive Assistant, Mr. Emmanuel Castro III, handed over the checks to the rebel returnees in the presence of Brigadier General Orlando Edralin, commander of Army’s 303rd Infantry Brigade (IBde) and Lieutenant Colonel Van Donald Almonte, commander of 94th Infantry Battalion (IB) at the City Hall.

The beneficiaries received P10,000 each in addition to food packs and personal kits from the local government and the City Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict.

These provisions will aid them as they gradually start to enjoy a productive life.

The former NPA rebels surrendered to the 94th IB and the local police.

Tongson, through Castro, hopes that the cash assistance will benefit them and their families in living a new life.

“You all now serve as a living testament to the government’s sincerity to its mission,” Castro said.

Meanwhile, Edralin fervently hopes that with the cash assistance received by the former rebels who have made the right and moral choice to return to the government, more active NPAs will avail of the many benefits programmed for them upon their surrender.