Commentary on Article: End to communist insurgency foreseen by 2010, says PGMA

End to communist insurgency foreseen by 2010, says PGMA
THURSDAY, JANUARY 8, 2009 | NATIONAL DEFENSE
http://www.gov.ph/news/default.asp?i=23246


MANOLO FORTICH, Bukidnon - With the recent successive surrenders of some members of the New People’s Army (NPA), President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo today expressed confidence that the government is on track in solving the three-decade long communist insurgency by 2010.

“This clearly indicates that the national internal security plan is gaining much headway,” the President said in a one-on-one interview with DXIF Bombo Radyo at Del Monte Lodge here.

Data from the Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process showed that a total of 225 NPA rebels returned to the fold of the law during the second half of 2008.

Ninety-nine of the returnees came from Mindanao, 68 from Luzon and 58 from the Visayas.

Each of the 225 rebel returnees were given P20,000 cash assistance upon their surrender for a total of P4.5 million.

The government disbursed another P3.163 million for the 149 firearms surrendered by the rebels.

A total of P18.813 million has been given by the government as livelihood assistance to the rebel returnees.

The livelihood assistance and cash grants to rebel returnees are part of the Social Integration Program (SIP) implemented by the government to reintegrate former rebels into the mainstream of society pursuant to Administrative Order no. 172 issued by the President on March 23, 2007.

Earlier, the President stressed the need to get rid of the communist rebels who impeded progress and development in some of the country’s rural areas.

“If we are to become a first world country in 20 years, meaning , we have to put a stop to their ideological nonsense once and for all,” she said earlier.

I am deeply concerned as to whether the Philippine Government is keeping track of these "surrendering" rebels...

Instantly receiving cash of P20,000 will not assure their loyalty to the state...

The commie's are not stupid. They are shrewd, cunning, and will use any tactic they see fit to gain an advantage.

These returnees might just be in a way "retiring" from guerrilla life and simply using the "livelihood assistance" as a retirement fund...

Worse, it is possible that that as soon they secure the funds, they go back to the enemy camp P20,000 richer...

Worst of all, it is possible that these returnees are nothing more but infiltrators who are merely using their "surrender" as a cover to safely move around the country and acquire the funds to let them do so...

It is strongly recommended for Army Intelligence to determine if these 99 former rebels have truly been enlightened and have seen the errors of rebellion.

My other suggestion is to make archived profiles of these people. If any of them is a double-crosser, we will have the information needed to follow him.

Besides, 99 rebels AT MOST gone at the cost of P18.813 is not worth it. This type of strategy is tactically ineffective. The only advantage I see is the political and strategic effects. It portrays the government as willing to forgive-and-forget causing some of them to have second-thoughts.

However, such methods will not be effective at all against their high command nor their veterans.

Still, I support this program but I STRONGLY URGE THAT ARMY INTELLIGENCE REMAIN VIGILANT IN MONITORING THESE PEOPLE!!!

Hanggang sa susunod...ang mga comments galing sa aking mga kababayan ay aking inaasahan...