DAVAO CITY — Office of the Presidential Adviser on Peace, Reconciliation and Unity Eastern Mindanao director Atty. Elisa D. Evangelista-Lapiña said that they support the proposal of Agusan del Norte Governor Angel Amante to speed up cases of the former rebels or Friends Rescued — a move seen by OPAPRU that would ramp up efforts in helping the FRs' eventual reintegration in mainstream society.
"We certainly back this proposal by the Provincial Government of Agusan del Norte. We commend this effort and are ready to offer our full support to make sure that this will be operationalized," Lapiña said.
She added that the OPAPRU will be assisting the provincial government of Agusan del Norte in implementing the mechanism "to lure more New People's Army members to lay down their weapons and embrace the path to peace."
Lapiña also disclosed that the remaining armed combatants are apprehensive about returning to the folds of the law due to their pending cases in court.
"Our goal is to provide a clear and swift path for our FRs. We want to assure them that by choosing peace, the whole-of-nation approach of the government will be of help to them to address both root causes of conflict, social inequality, and historical injustice, among others," Lapiña said.
To date, there are 122 former rebels in Agusan del Norte who have pending cases in court and Lapiña stressed the need to strengthen the coordination between other government agencies, such as the Public Attorney's Office, the Agusan del Norte government and volunteer legal partners that would actively monitor the progress of the former rebels' cases, "ensuring that they are treated with the urgency they deserve."
"By closely following legal proceedings, they can identify and address any potential delays or obstacles," Lapiña said.
For his part, Oliver Binancilan, head of OPAPRU's Davao Area Management Unit, also briefed the group about the Amnesty Program, which he described as a significant stride forward in the government's efforts to help FRs reintegrate into society.
In his presentation, Bancillan stressed the role of Kagawasan 143 Peace Center in actively collaborating with the government to facilitate the amnesty process, ensuring that eligible FRs can benefit from this opportunity for a fresh start.