BASEY, Samar -- The Philippine Army’s 87th Infantry Battalion has intensified their
presence in remote and rebel-infested Mabini village of this town in the bid to
curb insurgency.
Recently, government troopers gathered nearly 1,000
participants from the community and local government for a peace forum to
tackle key issues in the conflict-affected village.
Mabini has been plagued by encounters of military troops and
armed rebels that have affected the security and well-being of the residents.
In the past years, troopers have discovered camps of communist insurgents.
Since the latest fire fighting in the area, the 87th IB
together with the local government pursued strategies of development and
security to address the conflict, which combined the restoration of civilian
justice.
The initiative featured a “responsive dialogue,” registering
a call from the local community for a greater voice in the peace process, which
local stakeholders, military participated-including residents of remote
communities, that are especially affected by insurgency.
The dialogue allowed local participants to identify the four
issues that most seriously weighed on their daily lives - personal and
community security, access to justice, and education quality.
“Community members called for the pilot testing of safety
areas, in which communities would assume responsibility for their own security
as an alternative to formal military protection,” said 2nd Lt. Jezzel Anumbay,
assistant civil military operations officer of the Army’s 87th IB.
"The perception caused by civilian casualties if ever,
is one of the most complicated things we face in Samar ,”
she said.
“One split second tactical on-the-ground call has a strategic
implications,” Anumbay added. “It has a long-lasting effects from whatever
happens. That’s why it is a very, very difficult job.”
The 87th IB soldiers noted that rebels and some militia
groups are flourishing in remote villages without a strong presence of
military.
“Civilians or even village chiefs can’t repel because they
don’t have guns, they don’t want to start a war, they don’t want their families
killed,” Anumbay shared. “If there is no legitimate presence of soldiers in an
area, the armed NPA’s can move in and do whatever they want.”
http://www.pna.gov.ph/index.php?idn=2&sid=&nid=2&rid=744293
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