DAVAO CITY — Seven local government units will soon be declared as insurgency-free after the Provincial Peace and Order Council (PPOC) completes the endorsement of the said LGUs to the Sangguniang Panlalawigan in Davao del Norte.
The PPOC resolved to declare Dujali, Carmen, New Corella, Sto. Tomas, Island Garden City of Samal, Panabo and Tagum as insurgency free areas on Friday, June 11 up pending the concurrence of the Sangguiang Panlalawigan. The resolution was based on the Army’s 1003rd Infantry Brigade recommendation.
In a Philippine Information Agency, 1003rd Brigade Commander Col Ricardo Nepomuceno said the seven LGUs are now ready to be declared in the final stage of area, clearing after it was declared last year as peaceful and development ready.
“When we say peace and development ready area, it implies that the political structure in the barangays has been dismantled, but we are not saying that there are no armed group within the area,” he said.
Nepomuceno added that on this final stage, “the New People’s Army has been reduced to the minimum number, in which for the province, it is pegged at 12.”
“And then, they should have no capability to conduct big tactical offensives and no atrocities in the area within the last four months,” he said. (davaotoday.com)
