PA brigade commander: AFP’s Bayanihan a strategy against insurgency

From the Philippine Information Agency (Jan 24): PA brigade commander: AFP’s Bayanihan a strategy against insurgency

MALUNGON, Sarangani -- The 1002nd Brigade, Philippine Army continues to reinforce its “support operations” to counter insurgency in its area of responsibility (AOR).

At a press briefing at the brigade headquarters here on Tuesday (Jan 20), Col. Ronald Villanueva, commander, took pride of the Internal Peace and Security Plan (IPSP) Bayanihan of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) to “win the peace.” 

Aside from the insurgency update, the briefing also included the brigade’s thrusts for 2015 and its efforts to continuously protect the people and the state.

Villanueva admitted that insurgency continues to grow in some parts of Regions XI and XII.

“The Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP), National Democratic Front (NDF), and the New People’s Army (NPA) persistently exploit the vulnerabilities of the populace particularly those who are living in far flung communities of the region,” he said.

He also said that rebels continue to perform their “ideological, political and organizational (IPO) works” to build up “their armed elements, consolidating united front efforts and establishing reliable support bases in the communities.”

Col. Villanueva said NPA’s offensives on “soft targets” have distracted AFP’s “focused military operations” from their main guerrilla bases.

“Consequently, the effects of insurgency in these regions have greatly affected the safety and well-being of the people,” he told members of the media urging them to “tell people especially in the government to do their job” since the AFP is just part of the big parcel as support agency in addressing the country’s insurgency problem.

The AFP has been undertaking Bayanihan as strategy to fight insurgency and thus, “win the peace” for years now.

Villanueva said Bayanihan is two-pronged being “people-centered and whole-of-nation” that anchors on human security and human rights as well as on the involvement and concerted efforts of stakeholders.

It is also poised to create conducive environment and lasting peace that paves the way for sustainable development of communities affected by insurgency.

The AFP’s Peace and Development Outreach Program (PDOP) also consists of a series of activities that promotes peace and people empowerment.

The activities include educating communities by enhancing people’s skills, providing access to services like medical-dental, feeding, farm-to-market roads, among others.

The brigade chief described PDOP as an “effective security operation” to protect people from rebels aside from being a “catalyst for effective governance.”  

Col. Villanueva also cited “illiteracy” as the reason why a lot of people in the community are easily convinced to defect to the enemy side.

As to the question why insurgency still remains, he answered by attributing it to Filipinos’ attitude of walang pakialam (I-don’t-care-way) and the habit of procrastinating.

When asked about the peace condition in his area of operation, in general, Villanueva said: “Peace situation is stable but unpredictable.”

The brigade’s AOR are the provinces of South Cotabato, Sarangani, Davao Occidental, Davao del Sur, the municipality of Columbio, Sultan Kudarat, and the 2nd District of North Cotabato.

Aside from staff officers of the 1002nd Brigade, the briefing was also attended by battalion commanders: Lt. Col. Ronald Jess Alcodia of 27IB based in Tupi, South Cotabato; Lt. Col. Felix Ronnie Babac of 73IB in Malita, Davao Occidental; and Lt. Col. Apollo Jun Lamaton of 39IB based in Sta. Cruz, Davao del Sur.

http://news.pia.gov.ph/article/view/1671422016614/pa-brigade-commander-afp-s-bayanihan-a-strategy-against-insurgency