The Communist Terrorist Group (CTG) front organization, Kalipunan ng Damayang Mahihirap (KADAMAY), lost grounds after 47 of its leaders and members withdrew and denounced their support for KADAMAY and the CTG during a ceremony held on Friday, September 16, 2022, at the covered court of Barangay Siling Bata, Pandi Bulacan.
The 47 former members of KADAMAY who forcefully occupied and settled at the Villa Luis settlement site in Barangay Siling Bata demonstrated their withdrawal of support for the CTG by burning the CPP-NPA and KADAMAY flags and took an oath of allegiance to the government, which was witnessed by the Local Government Unit of Pandi, Bulacan, barangay officials of Barangay Siling Bata, and officials from government agencies under the Regional Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (RTF-ELCAC).
Various government agencies who witnessed the withdrawal of support, such as Cooperative Development Authority (CDA), Department of Trade and Industry (DTI), Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE), Technical Education Skills and Development Authority (TESDA), Office of the Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process, Reconciliation and Unity (OPPAPRU), Philippine National Police (PNP), Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) and Situational Awareness and Knowledge Management (SAKM) Cluster of the RTF-ELCAC, presented their programs and committed support to the returnees as well as appreciated the former KADAMAY members’ decision to withdraw from the CTG and support the government.
Ma Luisa De Guzman, Director of the National Coordinating Agency Region 3, encouraged the returnees to organize in order to fully avail of the government’s programs and initiatives, and to use these as stepping stones to becoming productive members of society.
“Ang aktibidad na ito ay para madala ng gobyerno ang mga programa upang maunawaan ninyo na may malasakit ang gobyerno para sa inyo, pero kailangan din pong gumawa ng hakbang na hindi lang umaasa sa ibigay ng gobyerno.” De Guzman added.
According to Lolita “Ka Lolit” De Jesus, former KADAMAY member and currently chairwoman of the SAMAKKA, the 47 former KADAMAY members who withdrew their support are a significant loss to the KADAMAY and CTG.
“Malaking kabawasan sa pwersa nila kahit ganyan lang ang bilang, malaking bagay at kabawasan sa pwersa nila na ginagamit nila na magrally sa kalsada, para mag-ambag, para magbutaw, malaking kawalan yan para sa kanila” she said.
She also thanked the government for welcoming them and for the opportunity to correct the mistakes they have committed due to deception of the CTG and improve their lives for the better.
Meanwhile, the former KADAMAY members will be joining the SAMAKKA, a Security and Exchange Commission (SEC) registered association organized for former members of the KADAMAY.
SAMAKKA is currently being assisted by the government to ensure that they are provided with relevant government programs that will empower them and make them conflict-resilient and productive members of the community. They are currently managing a 500,000 pesos worth of water refilling station established through government intervention situated at Villa Lois, Pandi, Bulacan.
After the ceremony of the Withdrawal of Support, the Northern Luzon Command (NOLCOM) through the 1st Civil Relations Group handed over to SAMAKKA 55 pieces of donated blue galloons from the Armed Forces and Police Savings and Loans Association, Inc. (AFPSLAI) and the Philippine Army Finance Center Producers Integrated Cooperative (PAFCPIC).
Former KADAMAY members also received food packs from Pandi Local Government Unit and the 2nd Mobile Force Company of PNP, Pandi, Bulacan.
The NOLCOM will continue to execute local peace engagement initiatives in coordination with the RTF-ELCAC, as well as intensify information awareness drive on the CTG’s deception while also assisting in bringing former members and supporters of the CTG to the appropriate government agency to address their issues.
