8th ID chief: Peace is attainable in Samar

TACLOBAN CITY, Philippines  — After the recent declaration of Leyte and Southern Leyte provinces insurgency-free and development-ready areas, Major General Mario Chan, commanding general of the 8th Infantry Division, wanted the provinces in Samar island to be the next.

For this purpose, Chan spearheaded a Peace and Development Forum held in the town of Matuguinao in Samar where the 14th Infantry Infantry Battalion is set to transfer headquarters from its present base in nearby San Jorge town.

The forum was participated by local government officials, headed by Matuginao Mayor Melissa dela Cruz, barangay officials and residents headed by Liga ng mga Barangay president Norberto Diaz, and representatives of the police, religious sector and non-government organizations.

Chan and the LGU officials believed that the insurgency problem will be resolved and peace will be achieved in Matuginao.

During the forum, Ferdinand Espina and Rommel Elizalde, both from Kalahi-CIDSS, said insurgency must be treated at its root cause. Dealing with people in remote areas who are the most vulnerable to the rebels must be given much attention, they proposed.

Mayor dela Cruz, in turn, appealed to her constituents of the town’s 20 barangays to be open to her administration by telling her their needs so that she can deliver these immediately.

“Now is the time for rebuilding the trust again,” said dela Cruz, in deference to the complaints of civilians in the past about abusive soldiers assigned to their town.

The mayor said this matter is now a thing of the past, and that interventions from the military and national government are being carried out now, but then implementation of the laws is still a problem due to the presence of insurgents, she said.

Just two weeks ago, a soldier from the 14th IB died in an encounter with the rebels but no one from the barangay had the courage to inform the military about the presence of the enemy.

The military, while advocating the Oplan Bayanihan to end insurgency by 2016, said the matter must be dealt with via a concerted effort among local officials and barangay residents.

The military had blamed the NPA rebels in Matuginao for extortion and sowing fear to the people. The town’s five elementary schools no longer hold classes because the teachers have not reported for work out of fear of the armed rebels.

Many barangay officials have also complained against the 10 percent revolutionary tax imposed upon them by the rebels.

Lieutenant Col. Napoleon de Vera, commander of the 14th IB, confirmed to The FREEMAN that the rebels have been sowing fear among residents and leaning against the leadership of dela Cruz. (FREEMAN)