Army battalion moves to Northern Samar boundary

From the Philippine News Agency (Jul 4, 2023): Army battalion moves to Northern Samar boundary (By Roel Amazona)

Lt. Col. Rudyard Garcia, commander of the Philippine Army's 52nd Infantry Battalion. (PNA photo by Roel Amazona)

TACLOBAN CITY – The Philippine Army has transferred the 52nd Infantry Battalion based in Oras, Eastern Samar to nearby Jipapad town to help suppress insurgency in remote communities near the boundary of Samar and Northern Samar provinces.

The relocation of troops is a strategy to strengthen the government's presence in the tri-boundary of Samar Island where the remaining fighters of the New People’s Army (NPA) are hiding.

Lt. Col. Rudyard Garcia said on Tuesday that although they are transferring, their presence in remote areas in the towns of Maslog, Dolores, and Oras will continue as there are troops assigned to maintain peace and order.

“There are no signs of enemy resurgent in our area because the communities are very supportive and cooperative and they immediately report to us any presence of enemies,” Garcia said in an interview.

The battalion has been based in Dao village, Oras town for several years.

Their new camp in Jipapad town is in the northeasternmost part of Eastern Samar province, near the boundary of Northern Samar province. It is about an hour's trip away from Oras.

“We are now located in a strategic location to properly secure the northern part of Eastern Samar,” Garcia added.

The battalion covers the towns of Jipapad, Maslog, Dolores, Oras, San Policarpo, and Arteche in Eastern Samar; and Lapinig in Northern Samar province.

The troops’ presence in Jipapad town will also help in ensuring the security of government infrastructure projects, including the Jipapad-Las Navas road network that connects Northern Samar to Eastern Samar, providing alternative roads to travelers passing along the Samar Pacific Coastal Road.

They are also tasked to secure the Support to Barangay Development Program (SBDP) in five Jipapad villages previously influenced by rebels.

Among the projects are farm-to-market roads, water systems, and rural electrification.

Garcia said they will likewise capacitate the communities through the creation of people’s organizations for livelihood opportunities such as the management of eco-tourism sites in partnership with other national government agencies and local government units.

“Military operation is not the only solution to this battle. We need cooperation and support from the members of our society, national government agencies, and especially the local government units,” Garcia said.

Northern Samar is the most insurgency-affected province in Eastern Visayas with the operation of two active NPA guerilla fronts.

The military said although front committees 1 and 15 are still active, they are not in control of any village in Northern Samar.

Front committee 2 operating in the boundary of Samar and Northern Samar has been dismantled this year after the capture and surrender of some of its combatants and the recovery of several firearms.

The NPA front committee 3, which operates near the boundaries of Northern Samar and Eastern Samar provinces, has also been weakened after the series of operations by government forces.

https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1204862