‘5 Neg. Or. Brgys insurgency-free’

From the Visayan Daily Star (Mar 8): ‘5 Neg. Or. Brgys insurgency-free’

Five barangays of Guihulngan City, Negros Oriental, have been officially cleared of insurgency, the Philippine Army’s 302nd Infantry Brigade, based in Tanjay City, Negros Oriental, said.

Barangays Tacpao, Bulado, Calamba, Hilaitan and Basak, all of Guihulngan, were declared the “insurgent-free and development-ready”, in a recommendation from the Area Clearing Evaluation and Validation Board Thursday, Capt. Cresenciano Gargar of the 302nd Brigade said.

The ACEV Board, composed of representatives from the Armed Forces of the Philippines, the Philippine National Police, and the Guihulngan City government, that evaluated the barangays, declared them “cleared” from insurgents, after they passed the parameters prescribed by the Joint Letter Directive of the AFP and PNP, Gargar added in a press release.

The directive based on the Guidelines in Evaluating the Implementation of Internal Security Operation Campaign Plan against the Communist Terrorist Movement, that was approved on October 13, 2008.

The ACEV reports of the five barangays were issued and signed by members of the ACEV Board at the TESDA Hall, in Guihulngan City Thursday.

These barangays have previously been “infested” with NPA members and that hampered the government’s development efforts in said areas, Gargar said.

He added that barangay residents were the common targets of the alleged extortion and liquidation activities of the Communist Party of the Philippines/New People’s Army.

But the active and untiring support of the LGUs for the efforts of the Bayanihan Teams of 11th Infantry (Lapulapu) Battalion deployed in these barangays finally brought positive changes to the community, he said. Some expressed apprehension and fear but many of the residents support the initiatives of the government and the military to prevent the entry of insurgents in their barangay.

Col. Christopher Estella, 302nd Brigade deputy commander, and chairman of the ACEV, reportedly said that peace and development are always (like) two sides of a coin. As barangays are cleared from NPA influence , expect that development will always follow. However, these barangays will continue to face serious challenges if these issues are not properly addressed with the right approaches, he added.

The military has repeatedly stressed that the LGU is  very essential to the sustainability of government development efforts, especially after a barangay has been cleared of insurgency.

Glicerio Bulado, council member of Hilaitan, Guihulngan, was also reportedly said that frequent visitation of the local government, especially in the remote sitios of my barangay, will surely gain the support of the populace who will reject the ideas of violence or armed struggle.

Brig. Gen. Francisco Patrimonio, 302nd Brigade commander, said “more barangays in Negros Oriental will be declared insurgent-free as the military continues its Bayanihan operations in the provinces where the insurgents are continuously diminishing.

“We are optimistic that the province will eventually be free this year. This vision, if realized, will attract more investors and business opportunities, hence, more jobs and development for the people of Negros Oriental”, he added.

http://www.visayandailystar.com/2014/March/08/negor1.htm