Bukidnon Governor Jose Ma. R. Zubiri Jr. and Brigadier General Eric C. Vinoya, the Army’s 403rd Brigade commander sign the memorandum of agreement declaring Bukidnon Conflict Manageable and Ready for Further Development on August 7 held at the PPDO Conference Room, Capitol Compound, Malaybalay City. (Photo by Mel B. Madera)
MALAYBALAY CITY, Bukidnon – Armed conflict with communist guerrillas is at manageable level and the province is ready for development.
This sums up the declaration made by Bukidnon Governor Jose Ma. R. Zubiri Jr. and Brigadier General Eric C. Vinoya, the Army's 403rd Brigade commander, who signed a memorandum of agreement declaring the province as Conflict Manageable and Ready for Further Development (CMRFD).
The signing on August 7 at the PPDO Conference Room, Capitol Compound, in this city was witnessed by members of the provincial board, military and police officials and members of the local press.
Vinoya said clashes between government troops and New People’s Army rebels have fallen to manageable level and that the CMFRD declaration was "very significant milestone towards peace and development."
“With this declaration, businesses and more investment will come in. We do not say the insurgency is fully contained. But last semester the New People’s Army Guerilla Front 6 is cleared and its area of operation has been controlled by our forces and it is in a process of disbanding,” Vinoya said.
He said they are now focusing to destroy two other guerrilla fronts of the NPA operating in the province--the Guerrilla Fronts 68 and 89.
For his part, Zubiri hopes the agreement forged with the military can be used as a guideline by local government units in addressing the insurgency problem.
“In the 60’s and 70’s, most of the NPA rebels in the province came from other places. But today I would say about 90 percent of them are members of the Indigenous Peoples (IP),” Zubiri said.
The governor said most of the IPs rebelled not because of ideology but because they want to fight for their land, while others cited poverty as the reason.
“At least, with our pro-poor programs such as free corn seed and fertilizer subsidy and quarterly financial assistance to poor families, and with the support of the military and the police we were able to minimize the impact,” the governor said.
Zubiri said the provincial government remains open to those who decide to return to the fold of the law, adding they will be provided financial assistance and other benefits under the Extended Comprehensive Local Integration Program (E-CLIP).
Provincial Board Member Gino Armstrong D. Garcia hailed the CMRFD declaration, noting its six essential conditions: Civilian authorities take responsibilities in issues on peace, security, and development; The area is conducive for business and investments to flourish; Effective control of armed violence;
POCs or Peace and Order Councils are effectively working, functioning, and operational; The Local Government Units (LGUs) and Philippine National Police (PNP) area effectively addressing the local criminality problem; and Security situation paves the way of the entry of investors and development projects.
Meanwhile, Datu Richard Macas, indigenous peoples mandatory representative (IPMR) to the Sangguniang Panlalawigan (SP), echoed the governor's concern that eight out of 10 NPA rebels are IPs.
Macas lamented that IPs used to be "peace-loving but now IPs are fighting each other." He considers the MOA signing as a welcome development in the efforts to address insurgency in the province. (Mel B. Madera/PNA)
