P’sinan not anymore hotbed of insurgents

By Mar T. Supnad

LINGAYEN, Pangasinan- This province, once the hotbed of insurgents, has been declared insurgency-free and is now one of the most peaceful provinces, if not the most peaceful, in the country today.

This, according to Gov. Amado T. Espino, Jr. who accepted the primary responsibility of taking the lead role in fighting insurgency in the province during the joint declaration of Pangasinan as insurgency- free at the Narciso Ramos Sports and Civic Center here.

Senior Supt. Percival Barba, provincial police director who formally declared that Pangasinan is now free from insurgency said in 2006, there were 76 insurgency-affected barangays in the province these areas now have a zero rate.

The joint declaration was signed by Espino, Major Gen. Ireneo Espino of the 7th Infantry Division of the Philippine Army and Barba.

The signing was witnessed by colonels Leonido Bongcawil and Felicito Virgilio M. Trinidad, Jr.; Domiciano Soriano, Jr. of Department of Interior and Local Government, Sangguniang Panlalawigan chairman Amadeo T. Espino, Maj. Gen Gaudencio Pangilinan, Northern Luzon Command commander represented by Col. Perez, and Supt Orlando Mabutas, represented by Col. Manuel Cachero.

Gen. Ireneo Espino thanked Espino, SP members, mayors, peace and order council members for accepting the handover of the insurgency lead role.

He said with the transfer, he sees the vision of a peaceful, progressive, tourism and economic center province under the governance of Espino who is also chairman of the Provincial Peace and Order Council.

Espino called on the people from former infested areas to work together for the growth and development of their barangays.

With this recent development, the governor noted foreign investors who used to visit other places like Baguio and Clark have started flocking to the province expressing interest in establishing various investments in Pangasinan.

He said this is the first time that foreign investors visited remote barangays to look for possible locations for their investment projects.