MISAMIS ORIENTAL (PIA) -- Communist insurgents are weakening and are on the decline due to the military’s “no let-up” operations, an army spokesperson claimed here recently.
“We now have zero active CTG (communist terrorist groups) in our AOR (areas of responsibility), and because of our no-let-up operations, the CTG in our AOR is declining and weakening. We no longer have an active guerilla front in our AOR,” said Lt.Col. Francisco Garello Jr., chief of the Public Affairs Office of the 4th Infantry Division (4ID).
With the implementation of Executive Order No. 70, or the whole-of-nation approach to ending local communist armed conflict (ELCAC), the 4ID had seen a significant decrease in the number of CTGs in Regions 10 and 13.
He claimed that the only people they are currently dealing with are the surviving members of the demolished guerilla fronts, a tiny percentage of CTG members who still refuse to submit to the government and instead choose to fight it out.
The military also reported that since January, the 4ID has started 16 interactions with the CTG, resulting in the deaths of 12 and the surrender of 11 CTG members. Another outcome of the fight was the seizure, identification, and surrender of 32 weapons, both high- and low-powered.
Since the start of the implementation of EO 70, the 4ID has also seen an influx of surrenderees, which has reached 1,538 regular members and 1,719 militia ng bayan members who have surrendered. At the same time, a total of 2,179 low- and high-powered firearms have either been captured, surrendered, or confiscated.
Meanwhile, as a countermeasure to avoid recruitment of the CTG for new members, both the 4ID and the National Intelligence Coordinating Agency (NICA) are conducting information dissemination to schools and communities about the recruitment process of the CTG, especially among youth.
The military has embarked on an information caravan to disprove the CTGs' propaganda against the government.
Living anew with E-CLIP
Taking into consideration the fact that many of the former rebels (FRs) are victims of the exploitation and manipulation of the CTGs, a Balik Loob Program for the FRs, known as E-CLIP, or the Enhanced Comprehensive Integration Program (E-CLIP), provides a menu of benefits prepared by the various government agencies that would help the FRs rebuild their lives together with their loved ones.
The positive implementation of the E-CLIP became an essential tool of the government in encouraging and enticing the FRs, both leaders and members, to surrender and return to the folds of the law. It also paved the way for the improvement of the lives of the surrenderees and became instrumental in their reintegration into the community, Garello said.
Before the enrollment of FRs in the E-CLIP program, the FR that has surrendered will be subjected to validation and verification through the Joint AFP-PNP Intelligence Committee (JAPIC). Upon verification, a JAPIC Certificate will then be issued to the FR, citing that he or she is a genuine member of the CTG, thus qualifying the FR to register in the program.
Since the implementation of E-CLIP, there are already 2,596 former rebels enrolled in the program, with 1,301 in Region 10 and 1,295 in Region 13. Out of the 2,596 enrolled, 2,167 FRs were already awarded the E-CLIP financial assistance package, while 429 FRs are yet to receive the said assistance.
As the 4ID, together with the members of the Regional Task Force-ELCAC, continues to implement EO 70, they urge the remaining members of the CTGs to surrender, return to the folds of the law, and avail themselves of the benefits ELCAC offers. They also assure the public that they are doing their best to maintain peace and order in their AORs and that they will continue to run after the remaining members of the CTG who refuse to surrender. (JAKA/PIA-10)
