215 ex-NPA visit Malacañang, AFP HQ

MANILA, Philippines — Military personnel welcomed 215 former members of the New People’s Army (NPA) who visited Camp Aguinaldo in Quezon City yesterday and met Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) chief Gen. Rey Leonardo Guerrero.

The former guerrillas also visited Malacañang and met President Duterte as part of their educational tour.

The former rebels arrived from Davao City on board two Air Force C-130 cargo planes at the Villamor Air Base in Pasay City on Tuesday to start their three-day tour. 

Duterte earlier invited the surrendered rebels to Malacañang and have a tour of Manila during his visit in Panacan, Davao City last Dec. 21. 

The AFP said the goal is to expose the former rebels to a better perspective in life particularly in advocating peace and nationalism.

The members of the Office of the Deputy Chief of Staff for Civil-Military Operations accompanied the former NPA members to a tour of Rizal Park and Intramuros in Manila.

The former rebels would return to Davao City again on Thursday and another batch of rebel returnees soon conduct another tour of Manila.

The AFP said the military was tasked to assist former rebels in the worthy initiative by the President to prepare the surrenderees to return to their normal lives.

“Our soldiers are committed in empowering our brothers and sisters who used to take part in NPA’s criminal activities, to now take part in building a nation of peace for progress and development,” the AFP said.

Capt. Eduardo Precioso, spokesman for the Army’s 3rd Infantry Division in Negros, yesterday said they were not surprised by the threat of Communist Party of the Philippines founder Jose Ma. Sison to kill one soldier a day to force the government to revive the peace talks.

Precioso said the NPA has been issuing threats even when the peace talks were ongoing, and the rebels do not spare soldiers helping victims of natural calamities.

He said the threats of Sison would not diminish their resolve to protect the people from the terrorist activities of the NPA, and to help the government in the delivery of basic services to the people in the countryside.

Senior Supt. Rodolfo Castil, police director of Negros Occidental, said they have been expecting it during the CPP founding anniversary in December last year, and also on March 29 this year, in line with the NPA anniversary. – With Gilbert Bayoran