CAMP MAJOR BADO DANGWA, La Trinidad Benguet: Living a double life as a part-time insurgent is stressful. This was the common factor that prompted 23 Militia ng Bayan members in Abra to surface and seeks the help of RTF-ELCAC in returning to the folds of the law.
Among other reasons they cited for surrendering were: The hardship they have encountered in the movement; their realization that they were lured into a deceitful cause which is going nowhere; and the ECLIP of the government.
The oldest at 78 yrs. old was a Militia ng Bayan for 5 yrs while the youngest was with the insurgents for 6 years. They all hail from far flung barangays of the municipality of Sallapadan where NPAs frequently visit and force them into joining the movement.
The RTF-ELCAC represented by RD PROCOR PBGen Israel Ephraim T Dickson welcomed them in a ceremony held at Sallapadan Municipal Hall on January 16, 2020 with the following message: “Dakayo ti mangpaneknek nga adda ti gobyerno nga mangtulong kanyayu babaen iti ECLIP, allokuyen yo pay ti kakadwa u ta agsurrender da met “(You will be the ones to prove the sincere intention of the government to help you through the ECLIP, please convince more of your comrades to lay down their arms and return back to the folds of the law and legitimize their cause. We will make sure that the benefits due you will be given)”.
AKA IKKOY, the oldest of the group manifested his sincerest thanks to the Philippine government, specifically through the TF- ELCAC, represented by the RD PROCOR for warmly welcoming them back into the mainstream society.
The RD then appealed to the other brothers in arms who are still in the mountains to take advantage of the whole-of-nation approach which is being implemented by the government and benefit from the ECLIP.