7 LGUs to be declared as insurgency free

From the Philippine Information Agency (Jun 17): 7 LGUs to be declared as insurgency free

The Provincial Peace and Order Council (PPOC) will endorse to the Sangguniang Panlalawigan seven local government units in the province to be declared as insurgency free areas.

Upon the recommendation of the 1003rd Infantry Brigade, the PPOC earlier today resolved to declare Dujali, Carmen, New Corella, Sto. Tomas, Island Garden City of Samal, Panabo and Tagum as insurgency free areas pending the concurrence of the Sangguiang Panlalawigan.

1003rd Brigade Commander Col Ricardo Nepomuceno emphasized that the local government units fulfilled the parameters stated in the AFP-PNP Joint Letter Directive for Area Clearing.

Col Nepomuceno stressed that since the province was declared last year as peaceful and development ready, the said municipalities are now ready to be declared in the final stage of area clearing.

“When we say peace and development ready area, it implies that the political structure in the barangays has been dismantled but we are not saying that there are no armed group within the area,” he said.

Nepomuceno added that on this final stage, we are saying the New People’s Army has been reduced to the minimum number, in which for the province, it is pegged at 12.

“And then, they should have no capability to conduct big tactical offensives and no atrocities in the area within the last 4 months,” he said.

http://news.pia.gov.ph/article/view/2871466146178/7-lgus-to-be-declared-as-insurgency-free