SURIGAO CITY, Surigao del Norte, Feb. 26 -- Eighteen project engineers and in-charge of the constructions companies and several personnel of the local government units (LGUs) within the area of responsibility of the 30th Infantry (Fight On) Battalion (30IB), Philippine Army attended the first Contractors and Business Establishments Security Forum held at the 30IB headquarters in Brgy. Mahanub, Gigaquit, Surigao del Norte on Feb. 19.
The forum, organized by the Army’s 30IB under the supervision of the 901st Infantry Brigade, in partnership with several local government units (LGUs) in the province of Surigao del Norte, was aimed at enhancing the coordinative mechanism among economic stakeholders, LGUs, and the security sectors by emphasizing “shared security responsibility” concept.
This is to ensure that implementation of all government projects and economic activities are unhampered and uninterrupted as an offshoot to the communist terrorists' threats and intimidation usually resulting to sabotage and destruction of company properties particularly those in the remote areas.
Salient points of the Comprehensive Agreement on Respect for Human Rights and International Humanitarian Law (CARHRIHL) was presented to the participants in order to raise awareness on their rights and protection as non-combatants against all attacks and human rights abuses where most of them already suffered the cruelty and abuses from these communist terrorists.
The CARHRIHL was an agreement between the Government of the Philippines and the National Democratic Front of the Philippines (Communist Party of the Philippines, New People’s Army CPP-NPA-NDF) to ensure the protection of civilians against all forms of human rights abuse.
An information briefing on the concept of shared security responsibility was also presented by Lt. Col. Ryan Charles G. Callanta, commanding officer of the 30IB, to the concerned stakeholders (construction companies, communities, LGUs, Integrated Territorial Defense System (ITDS), and security sectors in which each component has separate but equally important roles and responsibilities to ensure that peace and security are maintained and implementation of government projects within the area will be attained.
In his message, BGen. George L. Banzon, commander of the 901st Infantry Brigade, assured the attendees that securing and protecting the entire province’s economic activities are among the topmost priorities of the entire 901st Infantry Brigade together with its two infantry battalions and the PNP.
“Extortion is a lifeblood of the Communist Terrorist Group (CTG). If we work together and stop the extortion scheme of the communist terrorists in Surigao del Norte, it will be a significant blow to its weakening posture. I, therefore, encouraged all of us to work together and do our respective part in this specific endeavor. If we can do this, then we can expect that peace, progress, and development will take its full throttle in this part of the country. Lastly, I thanked everyone for giving us your time,” underscored BGen. Banzon. (30IB, Phil. Army/PIA-Surigao del Norte)
Source: Philippines Information Agency (pia.gov.ph)
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