DILG ready to face possible probe into rebel returnees program

MANILA, Philippines — The Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) on Monday said it is prepared to face a possible congressional inquiry into the government’s program for rebel surrenderees or the Enhanced Comprehensive Local Integration Program (E-CLIP).

This was after the Bayan Muna and Bagong Alyansang Makabayan appealed to the Congress to investigate possible corruption tactics in the government program following the Philippine Army’s admission that it manipulated photos showing the arrest of suspected former communist fighters standing in front of a cache of high-powered firearms.

“Hindi uurungan ng gobyerno ang patutsada ng kaliwa na magkaroon ng imbestigasyon dahil wala namang korapsyon o anomalya sa programang ito. (We won’t turn back on the leftists groups’ challenge to have an investigation because there is no corruption or anomalies in this program),” Interior Secretary Eduardo Año said in a statement.

“We are ready to face the Makabayan Bloc in Congress or in any forum so that the AFP (Armed Forces of the Philippines) and the PNP (Philippine National Police) can defend themselves and prove to the world that it is these leftist lawmakers who are concocting stories and spreading lies,” he added.

Año maintained there is nothing anomalous with the rebel returnees program.

He said the investigation would allow the government to report to the public the significant accomplishments of the E-CLIP program, which he said “provides a complete package of assistance to former members of the New People’s Army and Militia ng Bayan and their family members.”

Citing data from E-CLIP task force, Año said a total of P171.6 million in financial aid were released to 2,882 rebel returnees from July 2018 to November 2019.