E Samar declared manageable conflict-affected area

From the Philippine Information Agency (Mar 28): E Samar declared manageable conflict-affected area

BORONGAN CITY, Eastern Samar -- Governor Conrado B. Nicart, Jr. and Major General Garardo T. Layug, Commander of the 8th Infantry Division, Philippine Army jointly declared the entire province as manageable conflict-affected area in a simple ceremonial signing that took place at the Capitol lobby.

Gen. Layug said, the declaration followed after the municipal local government units were successively declared as development ready. But this does not exactly mean that the areas are totally free of the presence of the New Peoples Army (NPA), instead, it had been recorded that the areas, now have lesser atrocities.

“Except perhaps for the NPA’s extortion activities, ambushes or encounter with the military had been observed to be lesser these days, which has been considered the measure in determining the manageable conflict-affected area," Layug said.

The Division Commander thanked the communities and stakeholders for supporting the Internal Security Plan-BAYANIHAN (ISP) program of the military which seeks the support of the civilian communities and local leaders in order to win peace.

Gov. Nicart, thanked the local chief executives and the military for working with him in achieving peace. He said that, since his first day of assumption as governor, it has been his platform of governance to maintain peace because by nature, every leader and every man in the community wants peace, for without it, there can be no progress.

Eastern Samar came third to had been declared, next to the two Leyte provinces.

http://www.pia.gov.ph/news/index.php?article=1231364369747