The Department of Environment and Natural Resources is getting P11.2 million for the hiring of 294 former rebels as forest guards, under the proposed P22.4 billion supplemental budget submitted by Malacañang to Congress for approval.

Abang Lingkod party-list Rep. Stephen Paduano said yesterday former rebels hired as forest guards by DENR, under its National Greening Program, are former members of the Revolutionary Proletarian Army-Alex Boncayao Brigade, now known as KAPATIRAN.

The DENR has enlisted the former rebels in its reforestation program, to plant and reforest about 100 hectares of forest land in Brgy. Locutan, Kabankalan City, Negros Occidental.

During interpellation on the proposed budget at the House of Representatives on Thursday, Kabataan party-list Representative Terry Ridon questioned the budget on the P11.2 million for the hiring of ex-rebels as part of the NGP, saying that the 2014 national budget has already appropriated P403.5 million for such program.

“Isn’t appropriating funds for a program or project that’s already been given funding in the national budget a sort of corruption in itself?” Ridon asked

Paduano said the House Committee on Ways and Means endorsed the plenary approval of HB 5237, that contained the proposed P22.4 billion proposed project.

The hiring of ex-RPA-ABB members as forest guards is part of the confidence building process, in the signing of a closure agreement between the RPM-P-RPA-ABB and the government.

Paduano said he was informed by a representative of the Office of the Presidential Adviser on Peace Process that the signing of the closure agreement may take place in January next year.

The RPA-ABB entered into a peace agreement with the government in year 2000. In April last year, about 700 former combatants of the RPA-ABB formed themselves into a legitimate socio-economic and political organization under KAPATIRAN, in line with the terms of the peace agreement.

The DENR-KAPATIRAN deal is part of the PAMANA ( Payapa at Masaganang Pamayanan), a government peace and development program and framework that aims to reduce poverty, improve governance and empower communities through community-driven project that address people’s needs, while promoting peace.

Under its agreement with DENR, KAPATIRAN shall produce and plant some 55,000 seedlings in the first year with a stock density of 500 seedlings per hectare, and maintain and protect the plantation its members have established in the succeeding years.

They are also tasked to conduct foot patrol and establish firebreaks in designated NGP planting sites. * GPB

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