The military is waging a “gunless war” against communist rebels in Metro Manila.
Maj. Gen. Mohammed Ben Dolorfino, Armed Forces National Capital Region Command chief, said the military aims to counter the indoctrination and infiltration activities of communist rebels in urban centers.
Speaking at the weekly Kapihan ng Bayan in Sulo hotel in Quezon City, Dolorfino said the Armed Forces will help local governments address the root causes of insurgency in the grassroots level.
Part of the military’s mandate is to perform peacetime duties in depressed communities, he added.
Dolorfino said he will recommend the redeployment of troops in slum areas in Metro Manila so they can continue civil-military operations.
The soldiers will help residents cope with poverty, which communist rebels are exploiting to undermine the democratic process, he added.
Dolorfino said troops will continue to help the civil government implement various development projects in their locality.
“We will be sending soldiers to Payatas in Quezon City to help in massive cleaning operations, this is part of our peacetime duties,” he said.
Last Saturday, Dolorfino said communist rebels had intensified their ideological campaign in Metro Manila by infiltrating various sectors of society.
The police and military are also the target of communist infiltration, he added. – Perseus Echeminada