In sustaining rebel-free Bohol

Study proposes designated TG

Processing former rebels’ aids

TAGBILARAN CITY, Bohol, Sept 1 (PIA) –A study on the implementation of the Enhanced Comprehensive Local Integration Program (E-CLIP) and the national amnesty program proposes the establishment of a dedicated task group responsible in facilitating the issuance of certifications to fast track government assistance.

In a paper entitled Sustaining the peace and security in Insurgency-free Province of Bohol, former S3 of the task Group Cebu-Bohol from the Joint Task Force 7 of the Central Command of the AFP cited the dire need to put up a dedicated task group to entertain former rebels who apply for amnesty, before they can be hijacked and agitated by the insurgents and slide back.

The paper’s author, retired Lieutenant Colonel Eduardo Malig-on, of the Philippine Army and now on the Army reserve performed the study to determine the status of the programs of the Provincial Government under the Provincial task Force Ending Local Communist Armed Conflict (PTF-ELCAC) in sustaining the insurgency free status of Bohol using the E-CLIP and Amnesty Program.

The Study also intended to determine the gaps and challenges in the program as well as suggest appropriate interventions to further improve the program, in sustaining peace and development here.

Using Key informant Interviews and Focused Group Discussions, the study uncovered that so far, there are already 16 clusters of former rebels in Bohol, comprised of 390 members, some of them now in three government established rebel returnee resettlement sites with 113 members.

Of these people, the government has released some P12.035 million in assistance, including firearms remuneration.

The Study also showed that since 2018 to 2023, some 82 rebels have returned to the mainstream, while 9 of them have yet to receive the package of assistance they are supposed to get as E-CLIP beneficiaries.

Of these 9, 5 surrendered in 2020 and 4 embraced back the law in 2021.

LtCol Malig-on cited the delayed issuance of the joint army-police intelligence committee (JAPIC) certification upon which the processing of the assistance benefit package of the E-CLIP depends.

The JAPIC certification actually certifies the authenticity and validity of the surrenderee to qualify for the enrollment in the ECLIP program.

The delay in the processing of the assistance package forces the former rebels to find work, some of them lured into the semi-lucrative job of sand and gravel mines, embarrassing the program and its implementors.

Moreover, the government’s welfare office also bared that former rebels who surrender before April 3, 2018 were excluded in the ECLIP enrollment by operation of the President Duterte’s Executive Order, and this has doused the motivation of some more active rebels to rather stay in the mountains.

Over this, the study proposes a dedicated task group responsible for the JAPIC certification processing, the task group should be comprised f personnel from the army, police and intelligence community with specialized training in intelligence gathering and assessment.

The study also proposes the enhancement of coordination mechanisms between police and army, through regular meetings and information sharing, the establishment of an electronic system for the submission and processing of JAPIC certifications, for enhanced efficiency and transparency.

Over this too, the study calls for fast-tracked livelihood assistance to fill in the livelihood needs of former rebels and their family and cut on the tempting urge to do illegal jobs.

And, by equipping former rebels with work skills that can make them productive through lawful employment, they can start standing up on their own. (PIA-7/Bohol)

DEDICATED INTEL GROUP. LtCol Eduardo Malig-on hands to Governor Erico Aristotle Aumentado the study proposing for enhancement of the system of processing ECLIP assistance package to former rebels to encourage more red warriors to turn back to the folds of the law. This as there are still 9 rebel returnees who have yet to get their amnesty assistance. (RACH/PIA-7/Bohol)

VALIDATED. LTCol Eduardo Malig-on presents to the PPOC the study which proposes enhancements in the ECLIP enrollment, to make sure that proper coordination is done to facilitate the receipt of assistance packages to rebel returnees before they can be instigated and pulled back to the mountains again. (rahc/PIA-7/Bohol)