IN THE NORTH EASTERN Mindanao Region (NEMR), Maria Malaya reported that about P60,000 are pocketed by AFP officials for every civilian they are able to coerce to surrender. Reports from various barangays and communities across the region indicate that those coerced were promised to be given P65,000 each.

In truth, however, majority of them have not received even a single centavo. The maximum compensation received by some was only P5,000. There were cases wherein the P5,000 compensation was used as initial payment for motorcycle loans. Subsequently, “surrenderees” are obliged to pay in full the P65,000 balance. Thus, AFP officials are able to rake in kickbacks in double. On top of funds they are able to pocket from the E-CLIP budget, they also serve as agents of motorcycle companies. Some surrenderees were also coerced to train as CAFGU elements and were promised high salaries. In reality, however, they receive no salary and are only compensated with a few kilos of rice and a few pieces of noodles and canned sardines.

Data obtained by the NDF-NEMR indicate that around P5.8 million in E-CLIP funds have been pocketed by AFP officials in the region. Meanwhile, P480 million supposedly for 8,000 “NPA surenderees” across Mindanao have also been corrupted by these officials.

E-CLIP has only aggravated the plight of the residents in the region. It is only used as a milking cow by corrupt AFP officials. The NPA-NEMR has long belied the fake surrender campaign of the butcher AFP. The military has only repeatedly used and paraded as “surrenderees,” its assets in barangays, former NPA members who have long laid low and civilians who were coerced to surrender in fear of of being charged or killed by state agents.