DAVAO CITY (Mindanao Examiner / Oct. 12, 2012) – A leader of the communist rebel group New People’s Army rebel surrendered to the government in the southern Philippines, officials said Friday.
Col. Rey Leonardo Guerrero, commander of the 701st Infantry Brigade, said Ricardo Lucnod surrendered to Mati City Mayor Michelle Rabat. Lucnod becomes the 80th NPA rebels to surrender since early this year in Davao Oriental province.
Guerrero said those who surrendered have availed the government’s Comprehensive Local Integration. “The Government is preparing programs to reintegrate all former rebels back to their respective families. Those programs intend to prepare them to start a new life together with their family,” he said in a statement sent to the regional newspaper Mindanao Examiner.
He said rebels already received some P4 million in livelihood aid on top of various skills training program and assistance from the Payapa at Masaganang Pamayanan program.
“For this year alone, several former members and commanders of NPA operating in Davao region surrendered after seeing the sincerity of the government in winning the peace. Lucnod will also be included on the Integration Program initiated by our government through CLIP,” Guerrero said.
The NPA, armed wing of the Communist Party of the Philippines, has been fighting for decades for the establishment of a separate state in the country. (Mindanao Examiner)
20