Davao region declared free of insurgents

DAVAO CITY, Philippines — Southern  Mindanao or the entire Davao region is now insurgency-free.

The Davao Regional Peace and Order Council approved a joint resolution on Wednesday declaring the region free of communist insurgents.

Lt. Gen. Greg Almerol, Eastern Mindanao Command chief, said the declaration was a result of relentless military operations in coordination with concerned government agencies and local government units.

Davao del Sur was declared free of communist rebels in the fourth quarter of 2021, Davao del Norte on June 2, Davao Occidental on June 16, Davao de Oro on June 20, Davao City on June 28 and Davao Oriental on Sept. 19.

“We successfully wiped out communist terrorist groups in affected barangays and crumbled all 16 guerrilla fronts under the Southern Mindanao Regional and Far South Mindanao Region committees,” Almerol said.

He vowed to prevent the resurgence of communist rebels and dismantle the remaining guerrilla fronts in his area of jurisdiction to ensure that all four regions in Mindanao can be declared insurgency-free.

“Only five (New People's Army) units remain, which are located in Northern Mindanao, Caraga and Soccsksargen,” Almerol said.