SAN JOSE, Occidental Mindoro (PIA) — Four remaining towns in Occidental Mindoro are in the process of validation to be declared as insurgency-free.
Civil Military Operations (CMO) Officer, Captain Aisyr Pagba, of the 76th Infantry Battalion-Philippine Army, said that the Army, together with the Philippine National Police and local government units (LGUs), are still in the process of determining whether the towns of Sablayan, Calintaan, Rizal, and San Jose can pass the standards set by the government to be officially declared insurgency-free or under Stable Internal Peace and Security (SIPS) status.
Earlier, the other seven towns of the province, namely Looc, Lubang, Abra de Ilog, Paluan, Mamburao, Sta Cruz, and Magsaysay, have already been declared insurgency-free.
Pagba emphasized that only the municipalities with no record of violent terrorist activities for a year can be declared insurgency-free towns.
The 76th IB, one of the three battalions operating in Mindoro under the 203rd Infantry Brigade, maintains peace and order in the northern part of the island.
Meanwhile, Deputy Brigade Commander of 203rd Infantry Brigade, Col. Eric Guevarra, during the recent episode of Kapihan sa Bagong Pilipinas, said they are doubling their efforts and are hoping to be able to declare all municipalities under SIPS at the soonest possible time stating, “Hopefully po itong taong ito ay matapos po natin.”
Deputy Commander for External Defense Operations Commodore Constancio Arturo Reyes Jr. of Western Command also shared valuable insights on how the province of Palawan maintained its rebel-free status.
He said the populace has its share of keeping the peace noting, “tuloy-tuloy lang po ang ginagawa nating mga programa, pagkatapos ng deklarasyon ng Palawan na insurgency-free.”
To keep the support of the people, the government continues to educate and provide them with livelihood, Reyes added. (VND/PIA MIMAROPA – Occidental Mindoro)
