Survey:More folks want MP declared a peace zone

By Gina Dizon

BONTOC, Mountain Province – Officials and constituents are divided of declaring this province a peace zone but a recent survey bared more now approve of the concept as proposed by Gov. Leonard Mayaen.

The governor said if Mountain Province is declared a peace zone, the province would be free of operations by the New People’s Army and government military forces or any armed group.

Operations, he added, included recruitment and having physical presence or maintaining headquarters.

The provincial peace and order council chaired by Mayaen, is in favor of the declaration so it would be the job of the police to maintain peace and security.

Barangay officials of the western municipalities of Bauko, Besao, Sagada and Tadian categorically said Yes favoring a peace zone, with no one saying No while six were undecided.

Barangay officials of eastern Barlig, Natonin, Paracelis; Bontoc, Sabangan and Sadanga also registered an overwhelming Yes of 76 votes as against 15 who said No while 10 were undecided.

In Sadanga town, folks were undecided following a consultation led by Mayaen here Sept. 7.

Results of a survey by the provincial government bared 232 persons of Sadanga were undecided of favoring a peace zone, 51 said Yes while 27 said No.

In Sadanga where some 300 Citizen Armed Force Geographical Unit members each receive at least P2,700 stipend a month, folks said they were hesitant of a peace zone since their allowance would be stopped.

Senior citizen Cabfiling of Sadanga said there should instead be further recruitment for CAFGU members.

Some folks however were not supportive of the idea.

Barangay captain Ian Lawagon of Belwang said the NPA would go to Sadanga if the province would be declared a peace zone since there would be no government military forces.

Some of Sadanga folks were also hesitant considering an infrastructure project being implemented by the military at the Belwang- Sacasacan Road, saying such project would be discontinued should the province be declared a peace zone.
In Sabangan town, folks said in a consultation said there was no assurance the NPA will leave the province with such setup.

Mayaen said if the province would have no armed groups, village folks would peacefully and freely attend to their farming activities.

Statistics noted 15 incidents of armed fighting between military forces and NPA forces the past five years in the province which dislocated villagers.

Bontoc folks earlier called for a peace zone in Mountain Province in response to heavy fighting between the NPA and the military forces in the recent years within the municipality resulting to folks fearful of going to the fields.

The survey done in Bontoc noted 68 persons in favor of a peace zone and 16 saying No.

No one was undecided in their answers.

In Sabangan during a recent consultation, 51 wanted a peace zone while 33 said No.

The next peace zone consultation is set to be held in the northern barangays of Sagada where both armed groups have been having encounters near Abra.

Heavy fighting between government military forces and the NPAs in the late 80s which resulted to the death of two minors caught in the crossfire, in Sagada which led officials and the community declare the municipality a peace zone in the early ‘90s.