Ilocos Sur town declares NPA rebels as 'persona non grata'

From the Philippine Information Agency (Aug 11, 2019): Ilocos Sur town declares NPA rebels as 'persona non grata'

BANTAY, Ilocos Sur -- Local officials in this town of Ilocos Sur have declared the New People’s Army (NPA) rebels as “persona non grata” to deter the possible terrorism infiltration in the area.

Lieutenant Colonel Charles Castillo, the commander of the Army’s 81st Infantry Battalion, said the Bantay town’s councilors led by Vice Mayor William Pre have unanimously approved on July 1, 2019 a resolution adopting the Joint Regional Peace and Order Council-Regional Development Council (RPOC-RDC) Resolution No. 1, Series of 2019 condemning the CPP-NPA terrorists and declaring them “persona non-grata” in the whole Region 1.

The joint RPOC-RDC resolution was approved on March 29, 2019 in San Fernando City, La Union

Earlier, local officials in the towns of Sta. Cruz and Suyo, and Candon City, and 11 barangays in Ilocos Sur have also declared the NPA rebels as “persona non grata.

On March 29, 2019, members of the Provincial Peace and Order Council (PPOC) in Ilocos Sur, chaired by Governor Ryan Luis Singson, declared the NPA rebels as “persona non grata” in the province upon approval of a resolution during their regular meeting.

“Our town is one of the stable municipalities in terms of peace and order situation in Ilocos Sur, and we will not let the entry of the problem on insurgency in our place,” said Pre in a phone interview.

Pre said the purpose of condemning the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP)-NPA terrorists and declaring them persona non-grata in their town is to maintain its peaceful situation and prevent the rebels from infiltrating the different sectors in their place.

Meanwhile, Castillo expressed his gratitude to the local officials in the municipality of Bantay for declaring the NPA rebels as “persona non grata” in the town.

“We are thankful as more areas in the province of Ilocos Sur have declared the CPP-NPA terrorists as persona non grata,” said Castillo.

He said the move made by the LGUs in Ilocos Sur is a sign that the residents are now aware of the effects of the presence of CPP-NPA terrorists and their deceitful and atrocious ways in the area.

“As stated in the Executive Order 70 or the whole of nation approach to end the local communist arm conflict, cooperation and unity are the greatest weapons in sustaining the peace and development in our country,” said Castillo. (AMB/FGL, PIA 1)

https://pia.gov.ph/news/articles/1025789