SECURITY CONCERNS. Major General Raul Farnacio, commander of the Army’s 8th Infantry Division, discusses security concerns during a meeting with top police officials in the Visayas on Nov. 19, 2018. President Duterte has ordered the deployment of more cops and soldiers in Samar province, following reporters of 'lawless violence' in the area. (Philippine Army Photo)
TACLOBAN CITY — Top officials of the police and the army in Eastern Visayas have assured their strict adherence to human rights, following President Rodrigo Duterte’s directive to augment forces in Samar province to suppress “lawless violence” and acts of terror.
PNP Eastern Visayas officer-in-charge Senior Supt. Ariel Arcinas said in a press briefing on Monday that fighting human rights abuses is part of their job as they prevent the loss of innocent lives.
“The very reason why we have to augment forces in Samar is to protect human rights. We can assure the public that there is no violation of human rights. This is our guide in the implementation of law enforcement program,” Arcinas told reporters.
The official said they are still waiting for specific guidelines on Memorandum Order (MO) No. 32 signed on Nov. 22 by Executive Secretary Salvador Medialdea.
Malacañang issued the directive amid the "sporadic acts of violence allegedly committed by lawless groups, particularly in the provinces of Samar, Negros Oriental and Occidental, and Bicol Region.”
Major General Raul Farnacio, commander of the Army’s 8th Infantry Division, reminded soldiers to “religiously” live the principles of human rights, international humanitarian law, and the rule of law.
“To the general public, rest assured that your Army will strictly adhere to the rules and procedures set forth by higher headquarters in the conduct of internal security operations in Eastern Visayas,” said Farnacio in a statement issued on Saturday.
“I urged the communities to be extra vigilant in reporting to the proper authorities the presence of suspected armed groups or individuals that will sow terror in their respective communities,” he added.
The memorandum, titled “Reinforcing the guidelines for the Armed Forces of the Philippines and the Philippine National Police in the implementation of measures to suppress and prevent lawless violence,” has ordered the Department of National Defense and the Department of the Interior and Local Government to coordinate with each other in deploying the troops.
Arcinas expects that Samar will get augmentation force from the PNP national headquarters and the regional mobile force battalion.
“Everything is normal and manageable. The deployment of more personnel is part of the PNP’s regular program. The President wants to reinforce police and military presence to sustain peace in Samar,” he added.
The decision to supress lawless violence is justified, since it is based on intelligence reports received by the Office of the President from various intelligence and law enforcement agencies, Arcinas said.
Samar province has been a stronghold of the New People’s Army (NPA) due to the place's densely-forested mountainous areas, high poverty incidence, and issue of widespread landlessness based on a 2013 study of William Norman Holden of the University of Calgary in Canada.
The NPA launched its first tactical operation in the country in Calbiga, Samar in 1974, when its members ambushed an Army scout patrol and seized a number of weapons. In 1976, the NPA gained popular support among the inhabitants of Samar, following its actions against cattle rustling gangs.
The most recent encounter between the military and the NPA was on the night of Nov. 20 in Paranas, Samar. No one was hurt in the 10-minute gun battle. Soldiers recovered from the encounter site two improvised explosive devices, one rifle grenade, empty magazines, and empty shells.
Some areas in Samar province are threatened not only by the NPAs, but also by the presence of private armed groups allegedly supported by politicians.
http://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1054944
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