ENDING INSURGENCY. Philippine National Police (PNP) Eastern Visayas regional director Brig. Gen. Ronaldo de Jesus (left) and Philippine Army 8th Infantry Division Commander Maj. Gen. Pio Diñoso III (right) attend a meeting on Thursday (Oct. 15, 2020) at the PNP regional office in Palo, Leyte. Key police and military officials have laid out plans to dismantle the remaining guerrilla front of the communist terrorist group New People’s Army (NPA) in Eastern Samar. (Photo courtesy of PNP)
TACLOBAN CITY – Key police and military officials have laid out plans to dismantle the remaining guerrilla front of the communist terrorist group New People’s Army (NPA) in Eastern Samar.
Brig. Gen. Ronaldo de Jesus, director of the Police Regional Office (PRO)-8 (Eastern Visayas), said in a press statement issued late Thursday that government forces agreed to expedite operations and sustained pressure against the NPA in Samar.
The stronger ties discussed in Thursday's meeting aim to clear the NPA guerrilla front that has been threatening remote communities in Borongan City, Maydolong, Balangkayan, and Llorente towns in Eastern Samar province.
“The partnership of the Philippine National Police (PNP) and the Philippine Army is once again strengthened with the conduct of this meeting. With similar or even interrelated missions, cooperation and partnership between the PNP and the army are necessary. This time, we will also need the support of the local government units, which are highly responsible for community development and providing the links between the people and the government,” de Jesus said.
Recently, government forces successfully dismantled the NPA South Samar committee, resulting in the recovery of 10 firearms and surrender of 320 NPA fighters, underground mass organizations, and mass base supporters.
The government attributed the dismantling of NPA to the retooled community support program as an enabling mechanism to operationalize the whole of nation approach embodied in the Executive Order No. 70.
The creation of a task force to end the local communist armed conflict (ELCAC) in cities and towns has contributed to the reduction of the strength of NPA in the region as village officials and residents provide vital information that led to the neutralization of NPA fighters, according to the Philippine Army.
“We have the right formula and the support of ELCAC members from different sectors to make this happen,” Maj. Gen. Pio Diñoso III, commander of the Philippine Army 8th Infantry Division said in a phone interview.
The NPA, which has been waging a five-decade armed struggle against the government, is listed as a terrorist organization by the United States, the European Union, the United Kingdom, Australia, Canada, New Zealand, and the Philippines. (PNA)
