SUPPORT TO END INSURGENCY. Some 100 Indigenous People (IPs) in Aurora listen to the lectures during a two-day Tribal Leaders' Summit held in Baler, Aurora on October 17-18, 2019. The summit provided lectures to the IPs on the importance of peace and order toward community development. (Photo by Jason de Asis)
BALER, Aurora -- Some 100 indigenous people (IP) in this province have vowed to support the Duterte administration in the promotion of peace and development efforts.
During the two-day 1st Aurora Tribal Leaders’ Summit held here on October 17-18, the leaders and members of the Kalipunan ng Katutubong Pamayanan sa Kapayapaan at Kaunlaran sa Lalawigan ng Aurora committed support to the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP), the Philippine National Police (PNP) and the provincial government of Aurora in their efforts to end local communist armed conflict for peaceful communities through a resolution.
The same resolution also denounced the actions and activities of the Communist Party of the Philippines-New People’s Army (CPP-NPA) that sow violence in the communities.
With the theme “Katutubong Aurora, Kabalikat sa Kapayapaan at Kaunlaran,” the two-day summit hosted by the 91st Infantry “Sinagtala” Battalion, Philippine Army gave lectures to the IPs on the importance of peace and order toward community development.
The summit was held to define the IP leaders' roles to the implementation of President Rodrigo Duterte’s Executive Order 70 which institutionalizes the Whole-of-Nation Approach in fighting the communist insurgency in the country.
The Whole-of-Nation Approach requires the participation of not only the different agencies of the government but the different sectors of the community in addressing the decades-old insurgency by the CPP-NPA that hinders and progress and development in the countryside.
Lawyer Ofelio A. Tactac Jr., provincial director of Department of the Interior and Local Government said on Friday for the past years, IPs become one of the most vulnerable sectors of society in terms of communist terrorist group’s infiltrations.
Tactac said the summit has given the IPs the opportunity to learn about national security and made them aware of the services of the government, which are intended exclusively for them.
“This is part of the continuous efforts of the government to bring the IPs the services they need especially right now that the implementation of Executive Order No. 70 is in full swing and there is no room for a terrorist organization,” he said.
Randy Salo, newly-elected president of the Indigenous People Federation for Peace and Development in Aurora, said the summit gave them wider knowledge about the programs of the government.
“We were given lectures about the insurgency, the importance of peace and order in community development, as well as farming, entrepreneurship, agri-preneurship, and education. They discussed our rights which included the right to ancestral domain, right to self-governance and empowerment, right to cultural integrity and right to social justice and human rights,” he told the Philippine News Agency (PNA).
Salo, who belongs to the Ilongot tribe, admitted that before the summit they were unaware of their rights and privileges.
He is one of the 21 Ilongots who attended the summit. There were also 16 Dumagats, 23 Igorots, five Agtas, an Alta, and 34 members of the different IPs in this province who graced the event.
Ronnie P. Caanawan, the provincial officer of the National Commission on Indigenous Peoples, encouraged all the IP leaders to support the government’s approach in addressing the insurgency problem.
Provincial administrator Ricardo Q. Bautista, who represented Governor Gerardo A. Noveras, said the provincial capitol has an educational plan and assistance exclusively for the IPs next year.
Lt. Col. Jose Mari F. Torrenueva II, Commander of the 91st Infantry “Sinagtala” Battalion, Philippine Army manifested his support to the IP of Aurora, saying “The Army’s Sinagtala Battalion is always ready to support their plans for peace and development.”
Lt. Col. Reynante Pitpitan, Deputy Provincial Director for Operations of Aurora Police Provincial Office, urged the participants to support only the duly constituted government and do not be deceived by the communist terrorist groups that caused disintegration among IPs.
Col. Andrew D. Costelo, commander of 703rd Infantry (Agila) Brigade, also hailed the IPs in their desire to help the government in addressing local communist armed conflict.
Costelo said the insurgency is not only the concern of the AFP and PNP but the concern of every Filipino.
https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1083638
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