STA. LUCIA, Ilocos Sur, May 8 (PIA) - - The intensified joint Community Support Program (CSP) of the Philippine Army and the Philippine National Police (PNP) in Barangay Paoc Norte here has resulted into the withdrawal of support of 69 members of Underground Mass Organizations (UGMO) to the Communist Terrorist Groups (CTG).
Said number was composed of five members of Sangay sa Partido sa Lokalidad (SPL), three of the Milisyang Bayan (MB), 32 of the Pambansang Kilusan ng Magsasaka (PKM), 24 of the Malayang Kilusan ng Bagong Kababaihan (MAKIBAKA), and five members of the Kabataang Makabayan (KM), according to 81st Infantry Battalion (81IB) Commanding Officer Lieutenant Colonel Rodrigo Marinas, Jr.
They took their oath of allegiance to the government on May 3 which was administered by Sta. Lucia Mayor and Municipal Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (MTF-ELCAC) Chairperson Joseph Simon Valdez.
“Ako’y nagpapasalamat sa mga kababayan ko sa Paoc Norte dahil binigyang pansin ang initiative ng local government unit, Philippine Army at PNP na maki-isa sa gobyerno at itigil na ang pagsuporta sa New People's Army (NPA)," said Mayor Valdez.
Ilocos Sur Police Provincial Office (ISPPO) Provincial Director Police Colonel Wilson Doromal expressed his gratitude to the residents for supporting the programs of the government especially in attaining lasting peace in the community.
Prior to this, the 69 former supporters were re-oriented and enlightened on the CTGs’ deceptive recruitment and organizing as well as on their danger to the community through a lecture led by the Civil Military Operations Office of the 81IB.
Residents of the said barangay also declared the CTGs as persona non grata through the unveiling and hanging of the persona non grata tarpaulin, and burning of CTGs’ effigies and flags led by Mayor Valdez together with the re-oriented former UGMO members.
“Ngayong namulat na tayo sa tunay na masamang uri at adhikain ng teroristang grupong Communist Party of the Philippines-NPA, ang hamon ay ang patuloy ninyong kooperasyon at suporta upang hindi na kayo malinlang at magamit pa ng mapagsamantalang grupo. Kami po sa kasundaluhan at kapulisan ay patuloy na aalalay sa inyo, kasama ang iba't ibang ahensya ng gobyerno, upang wakasan ang problema sa insurhensiya para sa ating komunidad, sa ating bayan, at higit sa lahat, para sa mga susunod na henerasyon,” said Lieutenant Colonel Marinas, Jr. during his message to the re-oriented former UGMO members.
Meanwhile, the commander of the 7th Infantry Division, Philippine Army Major General Alfredo Rosario, Jr. said that the intensified efforts of the joint CSP teams deployed in the barangays are yielding positive results noting that the withdrawal of the 69 UGMO members is highly significant.
“The joint CSP team was able to free these 69 UGMO members from the communist trap for a long time and we will continue these kinds of efforts until every CTG-affected community in Ilocos Sur is free from the enemy’s influence,” Major General Rosario, Jr. said.
It can be recalled that on January 27, two former MB members in Sta Lucia town voluntarily surrendered one bushmaster M4 carbine rifle, one bandolier, one long aluminum and two long plastic magazines, 480 rounds of 5.56 live ammunitions and 256 live ammunitions for caliber 45 pistol to the joint elements of the Army and PNP troops.
Moreover, since the deployment of CSP team in the said barangay on February 8, an MB member also voluntarily surrendered three detonating switches for improvised explosive devices (IED), three ICOM radios, two blood pressure apparatus, one stethoscope, cell phones and printer, and assorted war materials.
These were presented to Mayor Valdez after the oath taking of said re-oriented former UGMO members. (JCR/AMB/JMCQ, PIA Ilocos Sur)
Source: Philippines Information Agency (pia.gov.ph)
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