From the Philippine News Agency (Sep 19, 2020): Army exec urges Caraga LGUs to ‘rise up’ vs. NPA (By Alexander Lopez)
Brig. Gen. Maurito Licudine, commander of the Army's 402 Infantry Brigade. (PNA photo by Alexander Lopez)
Amid the series of surrenders by communist New People’s Army (NPA) rebels and supporters in the Caraga Region, a ranking Army official here has called on local government units (LGUs) to “rise up” to win more rebels back to the fold of the law.
In a statement Saturday, Brig. Gen. Maurito Licudine said the shift of support of the former NPA members and supporters is expected because of the development interventions initiated by the LGUs.
However, the commander of Army's 402nd Brigade (402Bde) said the LGUs must strengthen their anti-insurgency advocacies by tapping the support of national line agencies as well as the private sector to encourage the remaining NPA members to lay down their arms.
“Local chief executives need to rise up and be the voice of their people in addressing this menace plaguing our communities for several decades,” Licudine said.
Licudine acknowledged the efforts of the Esperanza municipal government in Agusan del Sur after 321 NPA members and supporters surrendered en masse and pledged allegiance to the government earlier this week.
Mayor Leonida Manpatilan, soldiers from the Army's 26th Infantry Battalion, and various government agencies welcomed the surrenderers in a ceremony on Sept. 15.
“We call on the other local chief executives to strengthen their resolve to fight these terrorists. Much is expected from our local leaders as they are the key element in leading their respective constituents in driving away from the communist terrorist from their communities,” Licudine said.
He said a united front consisting of all community stakeholders remains key to defeat the communist insurgency, which he said has hampered the region's economic development for the past decades.
Licudine also called on the remaining members and supporters of the NPA in the area to avail of the opportunities offered by the government through the Enhanced Comprehensive Local Integration Program (ECLIP).
Maj. Francisco Garello Jr., the civil-military operations officer of 402Bde, said Friday a total of 607 NPA regulars have been killed, apprehended, or surrendered in the provinces of Agusan del Sur, Agusan del Norte, Misamis Oriental, and Bukidnon, since January this year.
https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1115960
In a statement Saturday, Brig. Gen. Maurito Licudine said the shift of support of the former NPA members and supporters is expected because of the development interventions initiated by the LGUs.
However, the commander of Army's 402nd Brigade (402Bde) said the LGUs must strengthen their anti-insurgency advocacies by tapping the support of national line agencies as well as the private sector to encourage the remaining NPA members to lay down their arms.
“Local chief executives need to rise up and be the voice of their people in addressing this menace plaguing our communities for several decades,” Licudine said.
Licudine acknowledged the efforts of the Esperanza municipal government in Agusan del Sur after 321 NPA members and supporters surrendered en masse and pledged allegiance to the government earlier this week.
Mayor Leonida Manpatilan, soldiers from the Army's 26th Infantry Battalion, and various government agencies welcomed the surrenderers in a ceremony on Sept. 15.
“We call on the other local chief executives to strengthen their resolve to fight these terrorists. Much is expected from our local leaders as they are the key element in leading their respective constituents in driving away from the communist terrorist from their communities,” Licudine said.
He said a united front consisting of all community stakeholders remains key to defeat the communist insurgency, which he said has hampered the region's economic development for the past decades.
Licudine also called on the remaining members and supporters of the NPA in the area to avail of the opportunities offered by the government through the Enhanced Comprehensive Local Integration Program (ECLIP).
Maj. Francisco Garello Jr., the civil-military operations officer of 402Bde, said Friday a total of 607 NPA regulars have been killed, apprehended, or surrendered in the provinces of Agusan del Sur, Agusan del Norte, Misamis Oriental, and Bukidnon, since January this year.
https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1115960
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