Sarangani to build halfway house for ex-NPA rebels

GENERAL SANTOS CITY--The provincial government of Sarangani is pushing for the construction of a halfway house for returning New People’s Army (NPA) rebels this year.

Lizette Lopez, provincial focal person for the Comprehensive Local Integration Program (CLIP), said Wednesday preparations are underway for the establishment of the facility in a 1,168-sq. meter lot in Alabel town.

Lopez said the project will be built through a PHP5-million grant from the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG).

“The DILG has already downloaded the PHP5-million budget for the construction of the halfway house,” she said.

Lopez said the halfway house will have three rooms for males, three rooms for females, a conjugal room, an office, kitchen and a conference room.

The DILG had allotted grants of PHP5 million to local government units, including the province, that have signified to establish a halfway home for returning rebels as a component of the CLIP.

A halfway home or house is a temporary residence that serves as the processing center for former rebels.

The facility could also be used to cater to other individuals in crisis situations, such as victims of violence against women and children, juvenile delinquents, former convicts and times of disaster.

Pending the completion of Sarangani’s halfway house, returning rebels in the area now stay in an Army camp for protection while undergoing the CLIP process.

Lt. Col. Marion Angcao, commanding officer of the Army’s 73rd Infantry Battalion, said at least 15 NPA rebels already surrendered to troops operating in the province this year.

He said the rebels, who were under units operating in the hinterlands of Malapatan and Alabel towns, yielded voluntarily along with six M-16 rifles, two AK47 rifles and a Cal. 30 M2 carbine rifle.

Since 2011, he said a total of 159 rebels from different parts of the province have already surrendered to them.

Lopez said some 127 returnees have so far availed of the PHP65,000 livelihood and immediate cash assistance from the DILG under the CLIP.

She said the provincial government and concerned municipal governments provided a counterpart assistance of PHP5,000 to each of the returnees who did not meet the requirements set by the DILG.

CLIP reintegrates former rebels into the social mainstream and seeks to uplift their socio-economic conditions to enable them to become active partners in local development. (PNA)