DENOUNCING NPA. Former rebel mass support group members in Barangay La Fortuna of M’lang town hold a protest rally Tuesday (Oct. 18, 2022) against the presence of the communist New People’s Army in other parts of North Cotabato province. M’lang and neighboring town Matalam are the first local government units declared as insurgency-free in the province by their respective municipal councils. (Photo courtesy of 90IB)
KABACAN, North Cotabato – The towns of Matalam and M’lang have been declared “insurgency free” after the dismantling of New People’s Army guerilla fronts operating in the two areas.
1st Lt. Michael Allan Eugenio, the Army’s 90th Infantry Battalion civil-military chief, said Wednesday the neighboring towns were declared as free from NPA presence through Sangguniang Bayan (SB) Resolution No. 03 and SB Resolution No. 004 issued by the Matalam and M’lang legislative councils, respectively.
The two towns are the first to be declared "insurgency-free" among North Cotabato's one city and 17 municipalities.
Eugenio said government forces neutralized the NPA Guerilla Front (GF) 53 in Matalam, and the GF 72 Mt. Alip Command operating at the borders of M'lang in North Cotabato, South Cotabato, and part of Davao del Sur.
"This is through our consistent military operations and efforts in reaching out to the former rebel-influenced communities, sectors, and organizations,” he said.
The Community Support Program (CSP) also played an essential part in reintegrating the communities into the government through consultations, the military official said.
Eugenio noted that the CSP led to the discovery and disbanding of three underground mass organizations run by the Kilusang Rebolusyonaryo sa Barangay (KRB) for the past seven months.
“Forty-one NPA personalities also surfaced that included 35 members of the KRB and the Sangay ng Partido sa Lokalidad, among others," he added.
He said the rebel surrenderers and mass supporters were reorganized and given livelihood packages, while some are recruited as government paramilitary members to protect their communities.
"Their surfacing strengthens the barangay-based institutions and community defense system to monitor the NPA remnants in entering their vicinity,” he said. (PNA)
