AFP Bayanihan Sustains Grounds in Winning the Peace

From the Negros Daily Bulletin (Feb 21): AFP Bayanihan Sustains Grounds in Winning the Peace

"For 2013, the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP), supported by various sectoral stakeholders, through the Bayanihan Team efforts, has sustained and even soared in winning the peace in Western Visayas." Thus said Maj. Ray Tiongson, chief, DPAO, 3rd ID. in an emailed press release.

He said, during the recent Integration, Peace and Development Forum hosted by the Province of Negros Occidental, Maj. Gen. Aurelio Baladad, commander, 3rd Infantry Divsion, Philippine Army, that covers the Negros, Guimaras and Panay Islands, reported that "the Division was able to neutralize 66 members of the CPP-NPA-NDF, where 44 have abandoned the armed struggle and joined the mainstream society; 17 were arrested with warrants, captured and apprehended; and 5 were killed during the encounters.

Baladad said, the return of several NPA members to democratic folds and the abandonment of their camps, are indications of the waning CNN organization in the region. No less than the former rebels who said having realized that armed struggle is a futile cause and not the solution to our societal problems. They have also seen the efforts of the military, the local government units and agencies, civil society organizations, and the citizens who have been working together in the spirit of Bayanihan in addressing the issues especially in the countryside.

During the year, the 3ID also recovered 20 High Powered Firearms (HPFAs) and 41 Low Powered Firearms (LPFAs) in 2013; most of the firearms were traded for peace by the former rebels who have joined the mainstream society (8-HPFA; 29-LPFA), while others were either recovered during encounters or captured from those who were arrested or apprehended.

Aside from these, in 2013, the 3rd ID also declared the Province of Antique as Manageable Conflict-Affected and Development-Ready where CNN capabilities were degraded from further expansion of their group, and of waging isolated armed conflict in the province. There has been no record of encounter with the NPA in the last two years in the province of Antique. While the province of Aklan has been declared as insurgency-free in December 2011, the report said.

For attaining such accomplishments where Negros Occidental has the most number of captured NPA camps and NPA surrenderers, the Central Command in the Visayas based in Camp Lapu-lapu, Cebu City, led by commander Maj. Gen. John Bonafos, has awarded the Peace and Bayanihan Award to Gov. Alfredo Marañon, Jr. of Negros Occidental, for the active involvement of the province in the Bayanihan campaign.

Last December 19, 2013, the governor of Capiz, Victor Tanco was also given the AFP Peace and "Bayanihan" award as partner from the local government unit that significantly contributed to the AFP’s mission in "Winning the Peace".

MGen Bonafos said, "Winning the peace cannot be done by the AFP or the PNP alone. We need the concerted efforts of every citizen and for each to lend a helping hand for peace to reign and development to happen in this part of our country. The vigilance of the citizens in reporting the presence of lawless armed elements, coupled with intensified peace and development activities, 44 NPA camps were captured, 24 of which are in Negros, and 20 in Panay.

While Baladad said, "We are also looking forward that other provinces in Western Visayas will be soon free from communist influence. We are on the positive course as far as our `Dagyaw Para sa Kalinaw’ campaign is concerned. We will continue our efforts for this year and work even more together with other stakeholders in pursuing our goal for the region to be free from insurgency, and move faster towards development," added Baladad.

http://www.ndb-online.com/022114/local-news/local-news-afp-bayanihan-sustains-grounds-winning-peace