Ilocos Sur peace gab gauds NPAs to surrender

 

By Joyah Mae C. Quimoyog

GREGORIO DEL PILAR, Ilocos Sur – Army and other government officials held a peace forum here recently to entice members of the New People’s Army to lay down their arms and join mainstream society.
    The forum was also aimed to raise awareness on recruitment tactics of communist groups and scheme of organizing the masses in barangays.
    Some 50 barangay officials, tanods, and residents from the seven barangays of the municipality attended.
    Initiated by the Army’s 81st Infantry Battalion (IB), 702nd Infantry Brigade, topics included government's fight against terrorism and insurgency, and benefits for former rebels and members of Militia ng Bayan such as the government’s Enhanced Comprehensive Livelihood Integration Program (E-CLIP).
    Informative videos in connection with President Rodrigo Duterte’s Executive Order No. 70 that institutionalizes a “whole-of-nation approach” were also presented during the gathering.
    “The essence of the 'whole-of-nation approach' is the involvement of everybody, all sectors of our society, especially our front liners, the people in the vulnerable communities. Educating them and enhancing their awareness against the evils and deception of the communist group is one of our important tools in ending the local communist armed conflict in the province,” said Lt. Col. Rodrigo A. Mariñas, Jr., commander of 81st IB.
    A former rebel also shared his testimony and experiences on rexcuitment tactics of communist groups.
    A covenant signing denouncing the Communist Party of the Philippines and the New People’s Army (CPP-NPA) as terrorists and declaring them as persona non grata in the municipality was conducted led by Mayor Henry S. Gallardo, Lt. Col. Mariñas, Jr., 702nd Brigade Civil-Military Operations Officer Major Rogelio A. Dumbrigue, Ilocos Sur Police Provincial Office Provincial Intelligence Officer Police Lt. Col. Ariel C. Celino and Chief Provincial Operations Management Unit Police Major Rodel U. Ularte, GDP police station chief Lt. Rodel Marzan and the barangay officials.
    In his message, Mayor Gallardo told the residents, “What the Philippine Army, Philippine National Police and DILG brought here for this activity is the solution to the problem that we are facing. If we had in any way been doing something before for those on the other side, let’s stop it already. I encourage you to, instead, support our government agencies on this campaign.”    
    With the theme, “Unity and solidarity for peace and development of our communities”, the forum was held in coordination with the Peace and Law Enforcement Development Support Cluster of the municipal task force to end local communist armed conflict (MTF-ELCAC) of Gregorio Del Pilar. -- PIA Ilocos Sur