P17.5-M released for talks with CPP faction

President Arroyo has ordered the release of P17.5 million for the government’s peace initiatives with communist rebels.

Of this amount, P10 million was earmarked as "reintegration fund" to provide livelihood projects for political prisoners to be set free as a result of the peace agreement, while the remaining P7.5 million will bankroll the operations of the Joint Enforcement and Monitoring Committee (JEMC) tasked to supervise and monitor the implementation of the peace agreement with the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) and its political and armed components.

Mrs. Arroyo issued Executive Order (EO) 117 authorizing the release of P17.5 million in a bid to boost the government peace initiative with the communist insurgents which has suffered several setbacks over the past years.

"The reintegration fund shall be utilized to support the reintegration to mainstream society and other development undertakings of APOs (alleged political offenders) who were former members of the RPM-PRPA-ABB (Rebolusyonaryong Partido ng Manggagawa-Pilipinas Rebolusyonaryong Proletarian Army-Alex Boncayao Brigade)," Mrs. Arroyo said.

She directed the budget department to release the P7.5 million from her contingency funds for the operational expenses of the JEMC and its secretariat.

The President instructed her adviser on the peace process, former Batangas Rep. Eduardo Ermita, to charge the monetary requirements of the JEMC to his office.

EO 117 also reconstituted the JEMC to implement the peace agreement. – Marichu Villanueva