Gov. Eugenio Jose Lacson led the distribution of financial assistance worth P228,000 to 17 peace and development community volunteers from various towns and cities of Negros Occidental at the Capitol in Bacolod City on Wednesday, July 31.
The peace volunteers are former rebels who are now members of the Sentrong Alyansa ng Mamamayan Para sa Bayan (SAMBAYANAN), which advocates peace and development programs.
SAMBAYANAN is an organization composed of former members of the New People’s Army who abandoned their allegiance to the underground communist movement.
Gen. Orlando Edralin – 303rd Infantry Brigade Commander, Lt. Col. Arnel Calaoagan – 79th IB Commander, and Col. Rainerio De Chavez – Negros Occ. Police Provincial Office director joined the governor at the activity.
Lacson thanked the peace volunteers for choosing peace and for supporting the peace initiatives of the provincial government in collaboration with the Philippine Army and the PNP.
Edralin said the morale of the remnants of the New People Army is low, as they only have a few members left.
They no longer have the support of the masses, he said.*