Ex-rebels get P600K in government aid

By Leander C. Domingo

CAUAYAN CITY, Isabela: At least P600,000 additional economic assistance was given to former Communist Party of the Philippines-New People's Army (CPP-NPA) rebels who are in the custody of the 86th Infantry "Highlander" Battalion (IB) in the town of Jones in this province, Army officials said on Sunday.
    Dr. Lucio Calimag, Department of Science and Technology (DoST)-Isabela provincial director, said the livelihood assistance was formally accepted by the 86th IB officials, led by its commander, Lt. Col. Ali Alejo, and Renato Felipe, Jones town municipal government administrator.
    Calimag added the assistance from the DoST to former rebels is part of the government's expanded and aggressive assistance for government converts returning to the fold of law after their exit from the CPP-NPA-led insurgency.
    "Both the DoST and 86th IB believe that this proves the Duterte administration's sincerity in its promise to solve and end the problem of insurgency in the country," Alejo said.
    Earlier, the DoST, the local government unit of Jones and the 86th IB signed a memorandum of agreement for Community Empowerment through Science and Technology project, or CEST.
    Alejo thanked DoST-Isabela and the local government of Jones for their continued support in delivering aid and programs to the former CPP-NPA rebels, including the people of communities affected by the insurgency.
    In the 1990s, some villages in Jones town reportedly became a stronghold of the CPP-NPA operation to fight the government.
With counterinsurgency operations in those years by the military, these villages were tagged as "no man's land."