MAWAB, DAVAO DE ORO — The acting chief of the Department of National Defense (DND) lauded the officers and men of the military’s 10th Infantry Agila Division in their relentless efforts in totally cleansing their areas of responsibilities against the control and influence of the Communist Party of the Philippines-New People’s Army (CPP-NPA).
Senior Undersecretary Jose C. Faustino Jr. the acting DND Chief, who was the guest of honor during the 16th founding anniversary of the division takes pride in winning the war against the communist insurgents during the celebration of their 16th founding anniversary on Wednesday, August 17, here at Camp Manuel Yan.
Faustino who once served as the commander of the same division prior to his appointment as the Chief of Staff of he Armed Forces of the Philippines, in his message revealed “Sixteen (16) years ago, this division’s area of responsibility (AOR) was among the priority of the Armed Forces of the Philippines national priority due to the heavy density of enemy presence and activities with 17 full Communist Party of the Philippines/New People’s Army (CPP/NPA) fronts and six (6) Pulang Bagani command (PBC). Your AOR has now become the frontrunner in combatting counter insurgency in Mindanao.”
The acting Defense chief added “I am confident that under the decisive leadership of your commander Major General Nolasco “Nolie” Mempin, and with your eager life bravery the two remaining weakened guerilla fronts and regional guerilla units are nearing their collapse, so, keep it on Nolie (Mempin).”
For his part, Mempin shared how his command transformed their operational environment to win the ground and gain the trust of the civilian populace who were once deceived by the enemies of the state.
Addressing himself to Mempin, Faustino ended his speech “I extend my heartfelt congratulations on the impressive change you have purge in the 10thID area of responsibility. Really, they made the difference.”
In declaring areas as insurgency-free the peace and order council must issue a resolution which will be validated by the Department of Interior and Local Government and submitted to the national government for verification.
The declaration of these areas as insurgency-free must be covered with a joint peace and order resolutions.
Faustino said of the 17 big major guerilla units, only two fronts only two are left but believes “anytime soon, it will be cleared through the efforts of the army in collaboration with the civilian populace.”
Among the provinces covered by the 10th Infantry Division, only Davao Oriental is left, other areas have been declared insurgency-free such as Davao del Norte, Davao del Sur, Davao Occidental, Davao de Oro, Davao City, North Cotabato among others.
Davao del Norte Governor Edwin I. Jubahib told Newsline “The once dreaded Talaingod town is now insurgency-free, it has become a tourism destination after the soldiers engaged with the communities and exerted efforts to educate and win the hearts of the people, the emersion by the military to the communities paid off as residents turned their back against the rebel movement, I commend the 10thID and other units under its operation control, they really did great.”
Jubahib said the Talaingod town became a battleground due to the heavy infestation of the communist fronts, the once paradise of the Ata-Manobo tribe, became the Cordillera of Mindanao and became one of the country’s big breeding grounds of insurgents.
But last year, the mass base of the CPP/NPA collapsed when the military’s 56th Infantry Battalion embarked on community emersion and applied different operational technique, which resulted to the massive surrender of rebels’ top officers and their political mass base turned their loyalty to the republic and started to trust the government. The town is now a tourism destination.
The indigenous peoples communities are now actively involve in the peace and development efforts, livelihood programs and availed housing programs as government agencies introduced programs suited for the community with the help of the military. The once battleground is now a playground for the IP children while adults are into abaca and banana farming while some are into backyard poultry.
The seed of communism was planted in the Philippine soil 1932, it fizzled out in 1954, but the insurgents regrouped and re-emerged in 1968, and since then the government launched a bloody war against the CPP/NPA, many peace talks were held, strategies employed but all failed as thousands of lives were lost in the battleground.
On December 4, 2018, then President Rodrigo Duterte signed Executive Order No. 70, an order which seeks to institutionalize the whole-of-the-nation approach in attaining inclusive and sustainable peace which led to the creation of the National Task Force to end local Communist Armed Conflict also known as TF-ELCAC
The EO 70 harmonizes the delivery of basic services and social development packages in conflict-affected and vulnerable communities or the Geographically Isolated and Depressed Areas (GIDAs) in pursuit of the county’s peace and development agenda.
The government embarked on a multi-billion soci-economic development and infrastructure projects to reach the area where CPP/NPA used as their breading grounds to sow the seeds of communism.
The development of the communities and the construction of the roads from the barrios to the farthest sitio literally gave meaning– that road to peace is the road in itself.-Editha Z. Caduaya
