Army forms “peace organizations”

From the Leyte Samar Daily Express (Dec 23): Army forms “peace organizations”

The government troopers operating in Leyte are to establish “peace organizations” in the villages as part of their strategies in intensifying government’s efforts in the campaign against insurgency in this island, a military commander told reporters in an interview at his office here. Colonel Rafael Valencia, 802nd brigade commander, 8th infantry division, Philippine Army, based here, said that his brigade is now focusing more on the “peace operations” in solving the insurgency in his area of operation

Col. Valencia told reporters that as part of their strategies his brigade is presently organizing the barangay peace and development organization (BPDO) in the village level. Valencia claims that those BPDOs are volunteer peace advocates who are at the same time assisting the local government units in crime prevention in their respective barangays or municipalities. Valencia informed reporters that their organizing efforts for the BPDOs is gaining ground in the hinterland barangays of Leyte spearheaded by the 19th Infantry Battalion based in Kananga, Leyte under the leadership of its battalion commander Lt. Col. Alejandro Nacnac.

Valencia disclosed that presently there are a total of 17 BPDOs organized in two towns and 1 city in the province of Leyte He added that there are 13 BPDOs in Carigara town with 2481 members; 1 in the municipality of Kananga with 350 members while there are 3 organized BDPOs in this city with 636 members.

http://leytesamardaily.net/2012/12/army-forms-peace-organizations/