Centino rallies N. Samar troops: Help end insurgency now

From the Manila Bulletin (Mar 25, 2023): Centino rallies N. Samar troops: Help end insurgency now (By MARTIN SADONGDONG)

General Andres Centino, Chief of Staff of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP), visited troops in Northern Samar and reiterated his mission order to them to help in the government’s campaign to end to the country’s five-decade-old problem on communist insurgency.

Centino spoke before soldiers from the 74th Infantry Battalion, 2nd Infantry Division (2ID); and the 19th Infantry Battalion, 801st Infantry Brigade, and 803rd Infantry Brigade of the 8th Infantry Division (8ID) on Friday, March 24, where he directed them to focus and strengthen their efforts in ending the insurgency in Northern Samar.

“I am very confident that with the line-up of the commanders here in the Visayas, we will be able to achieve our target of really ending the problem of the insurgency here in Samar,” the AFP chief said.

To ensure that the troops are well-motivated to perform their duties, Centino also reminded the commanders to “pay attention to the needs” of their personnel and “continue boosting their morale.”

“Your roles are important in instilling discipline in our troops, be an exemplar to them,” he stated.

The Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP), together with the armed group New People’s Army (NPA), has been waging a communist rebellion against the government for 53 years already.

Earlier this week, Philippine Army (PA) Commanding General Lt. Gen. Romeo Brawner Jr. said the “complete” dismantling of the CPP-NPA is “imminent” as they continue to sustain focused military operations against the communist groups nationwide.

https://mb.com.ph/2023/3/25/centino-rallies-n-samar-troops-help-end-insurgency-now