AFP declares Cebu and Bohol free of insurgents

CEBU, Philippines - If the Armed Forces of the Philippines Central Command is to be believed, Cebu and Bohol have been cleared of the communist-terrorist movement.

AFP Central Command 802nd Infantry Brigade commander Col. Alan Luga said that in the battle against the communist insurgency in the Cebu-Bohol-Leyte Development Triangle (CEBOLEY), Cebu and Bohol have been declared insurgency-free.

CEBOLEY is just one of the province clusters under the responsibilities of the military in the Visayas.

The other island groups of Centcom were the GUISIBI that refers to the islands of Guimaras, Siquijor and Biliran; and NEPASA for Negros, Panay and Samar.

“Insurgency-free”, according to Luga, means that they have received no more reports of armed men in the province.

“Insignificant level. Wala na rito ang mga armed groups,” Luga said during the recent meeting of the Regional Peace and Order Council held at the Capitol Social Hall.

Centcom Operations center Chief Lt. Col. Armand Arevalo hailed Cebu Governor Gwen Garcia for her “all-out war policy” against the rebels.

Likewise, Centcom also thanked Bohol Gov. Erico Aumentado for his relentless commitment to the cause.

Centcom described the victory as pathway for LGUs to “harness sustainable development to further protect them from the roots of insurgency like poverty, disease and social order, ignorance and illiteracy”.

In a related development, Centcom, led by Gen. Isagani Cachuela plans to hand over the lead role of Internal Security Operations to the local government units of these provinces through the Regional Peace and Order Council-7.

In the RPOC-7 meeting, the proposed ISO relinquishment concept was conceived during periodic ISO assessments. This is also in consultation with stakeholders like the LGUs, Peace and Order Councils and the PNP.

ISO is a counter-insurgency program of the AFP that seeks to defeat the communist terrorist movements nationwide.

Cachuela clarified that it is only the primary role of ISO that will be assumed by the RPOC-7.

Cachuela said that there are four phases of ISO namely: clearing, holding, support and development. The first two phases remain to be Centcom’s responsibility while the other two phases will be assumed by the LGUs through its armed instrument, the PNP.

A Memorandum of Agreement shall be signed on Aug. 6, 2009 between the RPOC and the AFP.

The MOA will not only formalize the transition agreement but will also signify the accomplishment of the AFP and the LGUs of Cebu and Bohol. — Garry B. Lao/BRP (THE FREEMAN)