CPLA men turn over 17 firearms

By Teddy Molina and Redgie Cawis

LA TRINIDAD, Benguet – The  Cordillera People’s Liberation Army turned over to the government at least 60 firearms last week  part of their integration into mainstream society.

 

At the regional police headquarters in La Trinidad, the CPLA turned over around 30 firearms to the regional police office here last week.

               

Office of the Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process - Peace Accord Monitoring Secretariat Director Alexander Umpar said the event was the first leg of initial firearms inventory and valuation being conducted in the region.

               

The firearms and CPLA members will also be undergoing profiling to know who have firearms and what kind they have.

               

In Bangued, Abra, the CPLA also turned over 17 firearms to a representative of the OPAPP last week.

               

The firearms consisted of nine .45-caliber pistols, two machine guns, two shotguns, two .22-caliber pistols, and two backshot revolvers. They were received by Carmen Gomez of the OPAPP.

               

The CPLA has a group in Abra which claims to be the legitimate CPLA

               

The government is set to release funds for livelihood and infrastructure projects in the places where the CPLA members who yielded their guns come from.

               

Regional police director Chief Supt.  Benjamin Magalong said that they have set the standards in the valuation policy which is being targeted to be done in April, 2013.

               

He committed to hasten valuation process as he urged the CBA-CPLA members turn-over their firearms before the targeted date.

               

CPLA chairman Arsenio said the turn-over and inventory is in fulfillment of the Closure Agreement signed between the government of the Philippines and the CBA-CPLA. 

               

He added this will also show that they are now transforming and integrating themselves as a people’s organization and leaving their old rebel days.

               

Other provinces of the Cordillera will also turn over their firearms to the PNP in the next months.

               

More than 300 firearms are expected to be turned over and valuated to the Cordillera Police.