Tapaz town bares blueprint to end insurgency

From the Philippine Information Agency (Dec 12, 2020): Tapaz town bares blueprint to end insurgency (By Alex Lumaque)

ROXAS CITY, Capiz, Dec. 12 (PIA) -- Tapaz mayor Roberto Palomar said the die was cast by the municipal government to resolve the half-century old insurgency problem in the municipality.

The local chief executive, who welcomed guests and participants to the second and last leg of the Panay Peace Summit 2020 last Dec. 11 in Tapaz Civic Center, stressed the peace-seeking local governance started by knowing and understanding the root causes of the rebels’ grievances.

“When I talked to them, I can feel the grievances, the anger to the governance,” he noted, adding that the injustices and problems served as springboard to make the government an aggressor of development and on the delivery of basic social services.



Palomar added that the sincerity of Pres. Rodrigo Duterte through the whole-of-nation approach to End Local Armed Communist Armed Conflict (ELCAC) has helped the local government unit to deliver infrastructure projects especially access roads to 20 upland barangays of the town.

Palomar also cited the partnership of the local government unit and the 12th Infantry Battalion for the Community Support Program to clear the insurgency influenced and affected barangays from the rebels to bring peace and development.

“We send our troops to the hills not as combatants but as bearers of peace,” he explained, adding that the problem can not be resolved by military alone or through armed struggle but by true and transparent governance.

The Summit themed "Sama-sama Buong Bayan para sa Kapayapaan at Karapatan ng Sambayanan" was graced by speakers led by Presidential
Communications Operations Office Undersecretary Lorraine Marie Badoy, SOLCOM Commander Lt. Gen. Antonio Parlade, Jr. and former NPA cadres
Eric Almendras alias “Ka Eric” and Joy James Saguino also known as “Ka Amihan,” among others.

“Let's start to build peace based on sustainable investment and economic development,” emphasized the 68-year old yet energetic and active municipal official.

The Panay Peace Summit 2020 is a joint initiative of the Regional Task Force-ELCAC – 6 and the Philippine Army’s 301st Infantry Brigade through the cooperation of the local government units.

It aims to promote peace, truth and help put an end to communist terrorists’ deception and motivate other members of the Communist Terrorist Group to surrender, rebuild community trust and earn again the people’s respect. (JBG/ AAL/PIA Capiz)

https://pia.gov.ph/news/articles/1061553