The military general assigned as new commander of the
Philippine Army (PA) contingent in Bicol has vowed to prevent the New People’s
Army (NPA) in the region from terrorizing the 2016 general elections.
“I am going to relentlessly pursue what my immediate predecessor
has started and been successfully doing in providing Bicol a wider space where
the people can feel safe and grow as progressive communities,” Brig. Gen.
Ferdinand Quidilla said in a statement reaching here Sunday.
Quidilla recently replaced Maj. Gen. Yerson Depayso as
commanding general of the 9th Infantry (Spear) Division (ID), the PA contingent
based in Pili, Camarines Sur and providing the region security from internal
threats posed by the NPA.
Depayso’s two-year stint with the command saw the weakening
of the rebel movement in the region which led to the recent declaration, one
after the other of four provinces—Catanduanes, Camarines Norte, Camarines Sur
and Albay as “peaceful and ready for further development”.
The declarations were formalized through separate Memoranda
of Understanding (MOU) entered into by the four provincial governments with the
Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) stating that their respective areas are
already “Conflict Manageable and Ready for Development (CMRD)".
Each MOU signaled the "shifting of effort" of the
AFP-PA from clearing of barangays from insurgent affectation supported by
socio-economic development to a reverse role and emphasizes the implementation
of more projects that the civil government will implement with the support and
protection of the military.
The declarations of peace in the four provinces were based
on the decreased violent activities of the NPA, the reduction of its potential
support system in the barangays and its failed recovery efforts.
This achievement was said to be not possible without the
cooperation of the leaders of the provinces along with the local government
units (LGUs) who have partnered with the AFP in fighting insurgency.
“We will continue to abide by these MOUs for it is a proof
that the efforts of the government and its armed forces to restore peace and
tranquility in the provinces have not been put in vain. We in the military
stand by our mandate as the protector of the people and keepers of the
integrity of the state,” Quidilla stressed.
There are still two Bicol provinces that are yet to be
placed under the CMRD declaration—Sorsogon and Masbate
-- where the threat of NPA insurgency to internal security remains a major
concern and, he said his command, will work on it starting from what Depayso
has started so that the region’s insurgency problem comes to a manageable
level.
In the case of Sorsogon, the Area Clearing Validation Board
(ACVD) from the 9th ID and the Philippine National Police (PNP) regional office
had recently validated reports on the clearing of 13 rebel-affected barangays
of the five municipalities of the province.
The ACVB chaired, by Brig. Gen. Ignacio Obligacion, 9ID
assistant division commander, is looking toward to declaring Sorsogon, along
with Masbate , under CMRD before the end of
2016.
These 13 Sorsogon barangays which have undergone AFP’s
Bayanihan Team Activities have been recommended “cleared of NPA” by the Area
Clearing Evaluation Team headed by Col. Alden Juan Masagca, deputy commander of
the 903rd Infantry Brigade based in the province.
During last Oct. 29’s turn-over of command from Depayso to
Quidilla, PA commanding general Lt. Gen. Eduardo Año lauded the former for
being the primemover in sustaining the peace and development in Bicol by
intensifying coordination with the civilian sectors that limited the
territorial area and weakened the influence of the NPAs in the rural areas.
Under Depayso, Año said, the “Kilusang Larangang Gerilya 77,
78”, a battalion-size and largest NPA unit operating in the region, has been
reduced to “Kilusang Sangay sa Platon” or a mere platoon of armed guerrillas
owing to the fall of its top leaders.
The 9ID, through Depayso’s leadership, was able to
neutralize 84 NPAs including high value enemy personalities, recovered 45
high-powered firearms, 73 Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs), various war
materiel and enemy documents of high intelligence value, PA records show..
Año said he was confident Quidilla will perform his duty at
his best for the accomplishment of 9ID’s mission and of the AFP as a whole.
Before his present assignment, Quidilla was assistant
commander of the 2nd Infantry (Jungle Fighter) Division stationed at Camp
General Mateo Capinpin, Tanay, Rizal.
The AFP has been maintaining the presence of the PA for
about 16 years now in Bicol with its 9ID which is in command of three infantry
brigades composed of nine infantry battalions and seven support units,
including an engineering battalion distributed in all the six provinces of the
region.
In over 45 years, Quidilla said Bicol’s opportunity to
advance to progress -- with its vast mineral deposits, agricultural lands, rich
fishing grounds, exotic ch natural resources and hard-working people -- has
been stalled by unstable peace situation due to the presence of the NPA rebels
and the culture of violence that sowed fear among local communities.
They prevent the implementation of government infrastructure
projects, harass industrial companies, extort money in form of “revolutionary
taxes” from businessmen, contractors and even from farmers, and execute those
who refuse to remit including innocent civilians and civilian government
officials, he said.
And behind the declaration as “peaceful and ready for
further development” areas of most Bicol provinces, Quidilla said there are
still small units of NPA operating and posing a threat to the peaceful conduct
of next year’s elections.
These small rebel groups, according to him, are remnants of
the already-dismantled larger NPA units and showing their presence in some
areas to be able to impose “permit to campaign” and "permit to win” fees
from local candidates in the forthcoming elections.
His command, Quidilla said, will keep them on the run so
that no space is left for them to initiate their terroristic acts.
“We, however, will keep the doors open for their peaceful
surrender and so that those who may choose to lay down their arms and return to
the fold of the law are given the chance to live a normal life under the
mainstream of a peaceful society,” he said.
http://www.pna.gov.ph/index.php?idn=2&sid=&nid=2&rid=829989
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