Army on track in making Samar, N. Samar insurgency-free by 2016

From the Leyte Samar Daily Express (Jun 25): Army on track in making Samar, N. Samar insurgency-free by 2016

The Philippine Army is on track of making the provinces of Samar and Northern Samar insurgent-free by 2016, an official said.

Capt. Amado Gutierrez, spokesman of the Philippine Army’s 8th Infantry Division, is optimistic of putting the two economically-depressed provinces in the category of “manageable conflict-affected areas ready for development” in the next two years.

“We have two full years to achieve that. This is attainable since our bayanihan program has reached majority of barangays in Samar and Northern Samar,” Gutierrez told Leyte Samar Daily Express.

Bayanihan program brings the delivery services to hinterland villages, mostly infested by the New People’s Army (NPA), which cannot be accessed by national government agencies due to poor infrastructure.

Under its internal security plan, the Army believed that insurgency is largely driven by structural problems in the country, such as unequal development, non-delivery of basic services, injustice, and poor governance.

“We want to bridge these gaps in two Samar provinces through bayanihan,” he said. “By 2016, we cannot say that the insurgency problem will be completely gone but the degree of influence will be manageable.”

Of the six provinces in Region 8, four have already been declared as insurgent-free, these are Biliran, Eastern Samar, Leyte, and Southern Leyte. The latest province to ear the recognition was Eastern Samar on March 26, this year.

The Army official could not give not give an estimate of the strength of the insurgents operating in Samar since many of them come to Samar from Bicol and move back to Bicol.

The absence of road networks in the tri-boundaries of the island and lack of education, make people vulnerable to the influence of communist-rebels.

Samar and Northern Samar registered the lowest simple literacy rates in Eastern Visayas at 85.4% and 88.3%, respectively, according to the National Statistics Office.

In its website, the communist group claimed that in series of operation in the last quarter of 2012, 15 soldiers were killed, eight government troopers were wounded and two rifles seized. Those who launched the attacks were red fighters of Efren Martires Command in Samar and Rodante Urtal Command in Northern Samar.

The latest clash between government and rebels was reported last Friday resulting to the military’s recovery of two powered firearms in Pinabacdao, Samar. No casualties were reported on either side.

Two months ago, two rebels who were extorting candidates were killed by soldiers in Catbalogan City.

Gutierrez said that even if the two areas will be declared as insurgent-free, Army strength will remain in the island to sustain the insurgent-free status.

The Army is also counting on the completion of Samar Roads for Peace and Development. Among these are the opening of Gandara-Matuguinao road, Matuguinao-Las Navas road, San Jose de Buan-Matuguinao road, Silvino Lobos-Las Navas road, Las Navas-Jipapad road, Paranas – San Jose de Buan road, and San Isidro-Lope de Vega road.

http://leytesamardaily.net/2013/06/army-on-track-in-making-samar-n-samar-insurgency-free-by-2016/