Government gaining upper hand in fight vs insurgents, says top Army official

From the Philippine News Agency (Jan 21): Government gaining upper hand in fight vs insurgents, says top Army official

The government is gaining an upper hand in the "war of the minds" of the populace at least in their area of responsibility here in Caraga Region, says a top Army official Monday morning. Lt. Col. Potenciano C. Camba, commanding officer of the 3rd Special Forces Battalion, Philippine Army, who was the guest of honor and speaker during the regular Monday flag raising ceremony of the Police Regional Office 13, outlined what he called the "modest contribution" to the Internal Peace and Security (IPAs) operation in the region.

He said that in a span of 14 months in their assignment in the region, his company has put pressure to the Communist movement and the New People's Army operating in the region on several occasions and in various locations. They also prevented the attack of the RTR Patrol Base in the municipality of RTR, Agusan del Norte, discovered the regional headquarters of the CPP/NPA at Puting Bato, Cabadbaran City and received active NPA surrenderees which had contributed to the setback of the Northeastern Mindanao Revolutionary Committee (NEMRC).

Camba also said with their tactical accomplishments merged with civil military operations, they were able to conduct outreach programs in far-flung barangays, conducting dialogues with the residents and medical and dental outreaches right inside the communist affected barangays. He relayed that in their dialogues, they were able to make the residents aware of the ongoing program of the government for them. These had been made possible, he said, with the assistance of the local government units, the line agencies of the government and the Philippine National Police.

They also brought the government closer to the people in their immersion programs, one of which, he said, was focused on the youths, the "Youth Leadership Summit" for which they partnered with the provincial Philippine National Police.

http://www.pna.gov.ph/index.php?idn=2&sid=&nid=2&rid=489317