35 Eastern Visayas towns earn rebel-free status this year

From the Philippine News Agency (Aug 15, 2024): 35 Eastern Visayas towns earn rebel-free status this year (By Sarwell Meniano)

PEACE. Local officials release white doves during the declaration of the rebel-free status of Quinapondan, Eastern Samar on Aug. 14, 2024. At least 35 towns in Eastern Visayas have been declared completely free from threats from the New People’s Army (NPA) and have attained Stable Internal Peace and Security (SIPS) status, the Philippine Army said on Thursday (Aug. 15, 2024). (Photo courtesy of Philippine Army)

TACLOBAN CITY – A total of 35 towns in Eastern Visayas have been declared free from threats of the New People’s Army (NPA) and have attained Stable Internal Peace and Security (SIPS) status, the Philippine Army reported on Thursday.

The municipalities conferred the SIPS status from January to mid-August this year are Pagsanghan, Tarangnan, San Sebastian, Talalora, Sta. Margarita, Almagro, and Sto. Niño in Samar province; Allen, San Jose, Rosario, Capul, Biri, and San Vicente in Northern Samar; Bontoc and Macrohon in Southern Leyte; Palompon, Isabel, Matag-ob, Merida, Bato, and Hilongos in Leyte; and Giporlos, Mercedes, Maydolong, Llorente, Balangkayan, Guiuan, Lawaan, Sulat, San Policarpo, Hernani, San Julian, Taft, Salcedo, and Quinapondan in Eastern Samar.

In a press briefing, commander of the Philippine Army’s 8th Infantry Division, Maj. Gen. Camilo Ligayo, said these municipalities earned SIPS status due to the successful conduct of local peace engagement down to the community level and the effective multi-sectoral commitment to peace and security.

“We want all areas to attain to be declared as insurgent-free, but we have to be careful. We should follow parameters for a town or province to attain the SIPS status. We are confident that more areas will be declared soon since there are many good things happening in the region,” Ligayo said.

Brig. Gen. Lenart Lelina, commander of the 801st Infantry Brigade, said a municipality is recognized with SIPS status only when no resident is a member of the communist group and there is no reported NPA activity for one year.

"Municipalities and provinces free from insurgency are declared to have stable internal peace and security. Hopefully, the entire province of Eastern Samar will achieve this status when all its municipalities are declared insurgency-free," Lelina said.

Brig. Gen. Noel Vestuir emphasized that the declaration of SIPS status represents a victory of freedom from the deceptive ideas of NPA.

“Along with the declaration is the responsibility to sustain peace efforts. It highlights the importance of embracing peace and working together to achieve reconciliation and sustained development,” Vestuir said.

Brig. Gen. Efren Morados, commander of the Army’s 803rd Infantry Brigade, said they have been stepping up efforts to declare more areas peaceful and free from NPA threats.

“We have different security mechanisms in place to prevent NPA resurgence, but the most important is our advocacy on good governance. We don’t want NPA (rebels) to use corruption issues to persuade villagers to fight the government,” Morados said.

Alongside every SIPS declaration is the ceremonial signing of a memorandum of understanding (MOU) among the municipal task force to end local communist armed conflict and peace partners.

The MOU aims to strengthen the support of local government units in maintaining peace and order, conducting activities to enhance law enforcement operations, and preventing the resurgence of the NPA.

The military said several areas in the region have long been peaceful, hence, the declaration of the SIPS status is just a formal and official manifestation of the commitment of local leaders and people to sustain the peace and never allow any threat group to gain a foothold in their communities.

https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1231292