Reduced NPA hold in Visayas highlights CentCom report

CEBU, Philippines - General Victor Ibrado, Chief of Staff of the Armed Forces of the Philippines, visited the Central Command early this week to attend the CenCom Conference for the 2009 accomplishments and assessment on its campaign against rebels in the Visayas.

 Maj. Gen. Ralph Villanueva, CentCom commander, presented to Ibrado the unit’s major accomplishments on the reduction of rebels and of the capability in the Visayas of what is known as the Communist Party of the Philippines-New People’s Army.

Villanueva also presented the developmental projects through the Kalayaan Barangay Program (KBP) and the support to rebel returnees through the Social Integration Program.

The CentCom commander reported that for 2009, 21 members of the NPA were killed; some of them high ranking rebels, in legitimate government combat engagements while 202 NPAs were captured and surrendered to the AFP and to the Philippine National Police.

The CenCom, he said, was also able to recover 144 high-powered firearms.

There were 232 former rebels who availed of the Social Integration Program wherein P50,000 was given for every high-powered firearm returned and another P50,000 each was facilitated by the concerned Local Government Unit as livelihood package.

A total of 337 KBP projects worth P407 million was allocated and of these, 142 projects were completed, 118 are ongoing, and 77 are to be started that benefited 113 insurgency-affected barangays.

The KBP projects, Villanueva said, include farm-to-market or access roads, water system, school building, health center, on electrification, and streetlights.

The conference was attended by Army commanders in the field and those from the Air Force and the Navy.

Ibrado lauded the CentCom and its commanders for a job well done and gave his guidance for them to continue pursuing the desired goals, as well as the momentum to run after the armed rebels specifically in Samar and Negros provinces.

“The key to solving the insurgency problem is working closely with the LGUs. Cebu, Bohol and Leyte were able to eradicate insurgency because of very strong LGUs,” Ibrado said.

Ibrado also gave pointers on how to carry out their jobs effectively for the May polls.

“All AFP units in the Visayas should work closely with the PNP to ensure an honest, orderly and peaceful election this May,” he further said. — Niña G. Sumacot/MEEV   (FREEMAN NEWS)