Province officially declared rebel-free

CEBU, Philippines - Heads of the Armed Forces of the Philippines and the Philippine National Police in Central Visayas formally turned over the Internal Security Operations of the province to the Cebu Provincial Peace and Order Council yesterday after declaring the province insurgency-free.

Major Gen. Arthur Tabaquero, commander of the 8th Infantry Division and Chief Supt. Lani-O Nerez, director of Police Regional Office-7 signed a memorandum of agreement of the turning over of the ISO to the CPPOC led by Governor Gwendolyn Garcia.

The Central Command, of which the 8th ID is under, the PRO-7 and the CPPOC affirmed and attested that the province is “presently insulated from the presence of the armed rebels or the New People’s Army.”

The accomplishment is the result of President Gloria Arroyo’s mandate to the PNP through Executive Order 546 to take an extra support role to the AFP for the suppression of insurgency and other threats to national security.

The National Security Council created a grand plan known as the National Internal Security Plan approved by Arroyo to be followed by the stakeholders in addressing the insurgency threat in the country.

In the general provisions stated in the MOA, CPPOC shall continue and intensify its role as the lead agency in the remaining phases of the ISO and may call on the PRO-7 and/or 8th ID for support.

The PRO-7, through the Regional Public Safety Management Battalion and the Cebu Provincial Police Office, shall be the primary unit to support the CPPOC in the ISO.

The 8th ID shall also be ready to augment additional security forces at all times if the CPPOC necessitates to support the efforts of PRO-7.

The agreement further states that all parties must maintain close coordination, maximize intelligence sharing and enhance community awareness and participation in all stages in the conduct of ISOs.

With the new responsibility in hand, CPPOC commits to provide the direction and necessary operational, logistical and legal support to PNP and AFP, as the case may be, to ensure the maintenance of peace and order in the province.

CPPOC through Local Government Units, city, municipal peace and order councils shall provide information updates and other requirements to the PRO-7 through the CPPO.

The MOA was signed yesterday during the 22nd founding anniversary celebration of the 78th Infantry Battalion at their headquarters in Barangay Nangka, Balamban town.

Also present during the event were mayors of the province, heads of other law enforcement agencies, and other provincial officials who were all given certificates of appreciation for supporting the ISO.

Garcia, in her speech, declared that Cebu is already insurgency-free “without a single drop of blood shed”. She called for a holistic and comprehensive approach to addressing the insurgency.

She called on those other rebels who want to go back to the fold of the law and be given a second chance “to start again and make a better life not just for themselves but also for their children.”

As a gift to the celebrating battalion and for maintaining peace and order situation in their area of responsibility, Garcia handed over a new Kia van to the 78th IB.

The governor also led the burning of 3,000 stalks of fully-grown marijuana plants uprooted this year in different areas of the province. — Niña G. Sumacot/BRP   (FREEMAN NEWS)