BACOLOD CITY, August 28 (PNA) –- The chief of the Philippine Army in Negros Occidental has declared that they are “winning the peace” in the province.
Col. Jon Aying, commander of the 303rd Infantry Brigade (IB), said they have used non-traditional military approaches in addressing the insurgency problem.
These include social, economic, political and even justice reforms, he said.
Aying added: “With our multi-dimensional and multi-sectoral efforts implemented from 2011 up this time, we were able to regain the trust and confidence of the people in conflict-affected communities, reducing their vulnerability to terror and deception tactics of the lawless New People’s Army.”
In the past year, 303rd IB has been implementing the “Marching for Peace, Serving the Countryside” program with the Provincial Government and the Negros Occidental Police Provincial Office under the Provincial Peace Integration and Development Unit (Pro-PIDU).
The beneficiaries are the hinterland communities of the First and Fifth Districts which used to be the mass base of the communist rebels.
Aying, who presided the Joint Peace and Security Coordinating Center meeting at Camp Alfredo Montelibano Sr. in Bacolod City Wednesday, said about 150 former rebels in Negros Occidental have abandoned the armed struggle since 2011.
The former rebels and their families also availed of financial and livelihood assistance from the provincial government, military records show.
Nineteen former rebels are now working at the Negros First and Wellness Program in Barangay Minoyan, Murcia, where the 303rd IB headquarters is based.
In the Fifth District, eight self-confessed NPA militiamen surrendered to the 11th Infantry Battalion, and endorsed 18 firearms, military records also show.
Aying said they were also able to liberate the conflict-affected communities in the Escalante-Toboso-Calatrava in the First District areas from the influence of the NPA, through Bayanihan Team effort. (PNA)