Saturday, October 15, 2011

Philippine Rebels Back to Government Arms

Former members of the Cordillera People's Liberation Army (CPLA) in the province of Benguet have become among the most economically-active members in their respective communities since 2000.

Benguet Governor Nestor Fongwan said this as several local leaders including that of the CPLA are taking part in the final deliberations on the proposed autonomy act of the Cordillera region.

Prior to 1986, the CPLA, a renegade group from the New People's Army (NPA) was formed by the late renegade priest Condrado Balweg.

Balweg later entered into a peace pact with the government through the late President Corazon Aquino in order that they would be participants in the region's counter insurgency as well as economic activities.

Afterwards, many of the qualified former CPLA guerillas were integrated to the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) while the rest were given livelihood opportunities.

Fongwan said that with government's efficient integrated rehabilitation, many of the former rebels settled to work and become small entrepreneurs.

No comments: