PRO-8 efforts on ELCAC continue

From the Philippine Information Agency (Jul 27, 2020): PRO-8 efforts on ELCAC continue (By PNP-8, RPIO)

CAMPETIC, Palo, Leyte, July 27 – The Police Regional Office 8 (PRO-8) under the command of Regional Director, PBGen Bernabe M. Balba, continues its operation efforts to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (ELCAC) in the three municipalities of Samar -- Sta. Rita, Basey and Marabut.

This is an inter-agency operation of the Philippine National Police in support of the 8th Infantry Division, Philippine Army (8ID, PA) to clear and defeat the Eastern Visayas Regional Party Committee (EVRPC) of the New People’s Army (NPA).

The main goal of this program is to end the nonsensical and violent armed struggle of EVRPC and its support structures, which continuously deprives the residents of the identified barangays the lasting peace and development they so deserve.

On July 13, 20 and 22, 2020, PRO deployed its personnel composed of the Retooled Community Support Program (RCSP) teams to the above-mentioned municipalities through send-off ceremonies attended by Director Balba together with the 8ID PA, DILG-8, BFP-8 and BJMP-8. Also present during said ceremonies were the Governor of Samar, Municipal and Provincial Local Government Operations Officer and the Barangay Captains of the targeted barangays.

As of this writing, the RCSP teams are already at the targeted barangays conducting needs assessment to every household to identify their primary and secondary issues which are being exploited by the NPAs. This action of the RCSP will make them as the community’s bridge to the concerned government agencies in addressing their issues.

With these efforts, there are already 11 recorded NPAs who surrendered along with their firearms. This approach has really a great impact on conveying to our armed-brothers on the uplands to submit themselves to the authorities and return back to the fold of the government.

As this program is ongoing, PRO-8 is expecting more rebels to surrender and more firearms to be seized.

“With our intensive campaign against terrorism and insurgency, we are hoping for a massive surrender of our armed brothers and convey them to return to the fold of the government. We are also expecting that upon their surrender, more loose firearms will be seized,” says Director Balba. (PRO-8, RPIO)

https://pia.gov.ph/news/articles/1048704