Ifugao folks want Army to remain, develop town

By Vency D. Bulayungan

ASIPULO, Ifugao -- Town folks here signed a manifesto  expressing their desire for the Philippine Army  to remain in the municipality to help maintain peace and order  and  help bring development in the area.

            The manifesto stated that in 2011, Asipulo was the center of unrest because of the armed encounters of the members of the New People’s Army and government troops at barangays Maloy, Cawayan, Liwon and Amduntog which brought nightmares of the 1980s and early 1990s when the town was made a training ground or refuge of the NPAs.

            These two encounters have also awakened the people’s fear for their lives in their own homes as well as their distrust for their own neighbors.

            Thus, the people of Asipulo said they understand the presence of the Armed forces of the Philippines in the municipality because of these incidents.

            They stated in the manifesto the entry of the NPA is not really helping them grow as a people instead it is dividing them slowly and steadily and accordingly this is against their culture as a people.

            They added that they believed in the rule of law and order and as a community exerting its best effort to harmoniously work together with the government, and as such they oppose to the presence of the NPA here.

            The residents also stated their appreciation and gratitude to the government for bringing infrastructure development and good governance to this newest municipality of the province.

            These developments were in the form of farm to market roads network linking the different barangays, irrigation systems, water systems, multi-purpose pavements, municipal and barangay halls, barangay and rural health stations, day care centers and other basic infrastructures needed by the people.