AFP clears Marinduque of rebel influence

MANILA, Philippines - The military would turn over the responsibility of maintaining peace and order in the province of Marinduque to the police after it has been cleared of the influence of communist rebels, a ranking commander said.

Lt. Gen. Roland Detabali, chief of the military’s Southern Luzon Command (Solcom) said in a phone interview that this is because there have been no reported activities of the New People’s Army in the area for more than a year now following intensified internal security operations.

Detabali said this is the first province in the country that has been fully cleared of NPA presence and influence.

In fact today, senior military officials led by Solcom chief Detabali is officially handing over internal security operations to the local police and local government units in the island province.

The official said that after Marinduque, they are hoping to clear Romblon, Laguna and Cavite and turn over the responsibility of maintaining peace and order to the police and the local government units.

He said he is also confident that their forces would be able to clear the Bicol Region of NPA presence within the 2010 deadline set by President Arroyo for the military to defeat the rebels.

Detabali said there are about 750 remaining guerillas in the whole Southern Tagalog.

He also assured that there would be a minimal number of militiamen and troops who would remain in Marinduque to support the police in case the rebels try to regain foothold of the province.

Lt. Frank Sayson, spokesman of the Army’s 2nd Infantry Division said that work to clear Marinduque of NPA presence started during the tenure of former 2nd ID chief Maj. Gen. Fernando Mesa, continued by then Solcom chief now Army chief Lt. Gen. Delfin Bangit and completed when Detabali assumed command of Solcom.

Sayson said that clearing Marinduque of NPA rebels was due to the conduct of peace initiatives in the province, which was supported by local government units.

President Arroyo has given the military until 2010 or until her term ends, to defeat the NPA, which has been waging a 40-year-old rebellion in the countryside.