By Francis B. Degay
BONTOC, Mountain Province – Gov. Leonard Mayaen gave P5,000 each to two male rebel returnees in a simple rite on Aug. 26 here at the provincial capitol.
The ceremony was witnessed by Lt. Col. Steve Crispilio of the 54th IB, Philippine Army, Lt. Col. Clarence Casilio of the Philippine National Police, Belinda Belagan of the provincial Social Welfare and Development office and some personnel of the Army, PNP and the provincial government.
The monetary grants were drawn from the provincial peace and order council fund as initial incentives for the homecoming rebels.
Mayaen welcomed and thanked the former rebels in their decision to surrender and return to the fold of the law.
“Let us preserve peace and order for the welfare of our constituents. Let us prevent killing one another,” he said.
The financial assistance, he added is just an initial benefit.
Mayaen made an assurance to accommodate the two returnees as workers in the provincial government after six months of proven sincerity as returnees.
The identities of the rebel returnees were withheld pending processing of clearances by the military.
The two entered the underground movement out of curiosity. But because they were hard up in their daily endeavors they surrendered to the 54th IB of the Philippine Army based in this province last July.
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