Opposition solon questions P31-M for housing, livelihood of communist rebel returnees

MANILA, Philippines — Zambales Representative Mitos Magsaysay warned the government, on Monday, against causing demoralization among the police with its decision to allot P31 million for the housing and livelihood of families of rebel returnees from the Rebolusyonaryong Partido ng Manggagawa Pilipinas-Revolutionary Proletarian Army-Alex Boncayao Brigade (RPMP-RPA-ABB).

Magsaysay said the ABB, a New People’s Army (NPA) splinter group, was responsible for the liquidation of roughly 200 policemen in the 90’s.

She reminded the government that military and police personnel were also casualties in clashes with communist rebels, yet the government seemed to have neglected them.

On Monday, Presidential adviser on the peace process Teresita Deles announced the allocation as part of the Aquino administration’s Payapa at Masaganang Pamayanan (Pamana) program that has been tasked to help improve the situation in conflict-torn barangay (villages) in the country.

Under the government’s housing and livelihood project for the RPMP-RPA-ABB, which is part of the peace agreement the rebel group signed with the Philippine government on December 6, 2000, all members of the breakaway group will have to provide profiles of each member so that they could be matched to what type of job or livelihood they could get in the community.

But according to Magsaysay, the policemen have long been complaining of shortage in benefits compared to their counterparts in other countries.

She said the fund release at this time would send a wrong message to government forces, especially at this time when the leadership seemed to be prioritizing the welfare of those who were opposing or had been opposing the government rather than those who were protecting it.

“It would seem that the government’s concern is more for those who have caused losses to the state rather than those who are risking their lives for the safety of our people,” she said.

If the state wanted to put an end to the clashes, it should at least ensure that the group has also kept its end of the bargain, she said.

“Before they give the money, they should make sure that the beneficiaries have not committed any lawless acts in the years since their commitment with the government and that those who are still active with their criminal activities will not be given a share of this fund,” Magsaysay said.

She said government has been loose with its purse strings when it came to rebel groups but would always cite austerity when it came to projects that would benefit the people as a whole.

She recalled that most of the time, the money given by the government to rebel returnees were actually used to purchase arms to fight the state.

“The government wants to achieve peace, and they want to achieve closure. That is commendable in itself but like it said, justice must be served for all, and rewarding those who have not kept their part is just an insult to families of the policemen who lost their lives to this group,” she said.

Magsaysay did not cite specific instances of violation by the RPMP-RPA-ABB of its peace agreement with the government.

The group split into two factions in 2007 but the government continues to work to implement the peace agreement.