Insurgency-free Visayas by 2016 – Central Command
CEBU, Philippines - The commander of the Central Command of the Armed Forces of the Philippines aims to declare the entire Visayas as insurgency-free by 2016.
Major General Nicanor Vibar, CentCom commander, said in an earlier interview that the anti-insurgency campaign in the Visayas region is getting better.
He said that when he assumed as the new CentCom commander, 11 out of 16 provinces in the Visayas have already been cleared.
“Bago ako umupo, out of the 16 provinces labing-isa na ang na-clear natin,” he said.
Only five provinces are left for him to clear by 2016. They are Northern Samar, Samar, Capiz, Iloilo and Negros Oriental.
He said that their campaign in these areas is becoming better and in fact Samar is set to be cleared in the coming months.
Vibar disclosed that Lieutenant General Gregorio Pio Catapang Jr., Armed Forces chief of staff, challenged him to declare the entire Visayas insurgency-free even earlier than 2016.
“Ang ating chief of staff nu’ng turn over he challenged me to do it earlier. Sa tingin ko kaya, matatapos namin ahead of time,” he said.
He added that the New People’s Army will not be allowed in the areas declared insurgency-free.
He said that some of the rebels will try to re-establish their presence but he said that this will not be allowed.
“Some of them will try their best to get it back. Nandyan kami, nandyan na tayo, nandyan na ang taong bayan,” Vibar said, adding that the presence of the AFP in the Visayas would mean the NPA would have a hard time re-establishing its presence.
Aside from that, Vibar said that the NPA’s top leaders have already been captured.
“Nauubos na rin sila eh, nakukuha na natin ang kanilang mga matatas na liderato, nahihirapan sila magpalit, di naman ganun ka dali kasi nakamonitor naman kami at saka kayo… yung mga peace-loving citizen,” he added. (FREEMAN)
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