Pampanga 'peaceful and ready for further development'

MANILA, Philippines - Pampanga will be declared as “peaceful and ready for further development” by the military and local officials due to the government’s gains against insurgency in the province.

The declaration will pave way to the turnover of the lead role of maintaining internal security to local executives from the military.

A memorandum of agreement making such declaration will be signed January 15 by officials from the local government, military and police in Bacolor.

Among the officials who will attend the event are Pampanga Gov. Lilia Pineda, Armed Forces chief Gen. Emmanuel Bautista, Northern Luzon Command chief Lt. Gen. Gregorio Catapang and 7th Infantry Division commander Maj. Gen. Hernando Iriberri.

Brig. Gen. Henry Sabarre, chief of the Army’s 703rd brigade, believes insurgency can no longer prevent the further development of the province.

“In itself, it’s a declaration or manifestation that the progress in Pampanga is continuing, it is now peaceful, there is no more insurgency and the development will continue,” Sabarre said.

He, however, clarified that the declaration would not necessarily mean the downsizing of troops deployed in the area.

“It’s just manifesting that the local government official in the person of the governor will now take lead role in dealing with the peace and order,” Sabarre said.

“The AFP (Armed Forces of the Philippines) in the area will support all its initiatives in line with its development. If there is a peace and order concern, we will support the PNP (Philippine National Police) in the conduct of law enforcement and anticrime activities,” he added.

The military previously claimed that 29 provinces have “normalized” due to the military’s anti-insurgency campaigns.

An area can be declared normalized if local governments and other civilian stakeholders are already active in addressing the causes of insurgency.

These areas are Cavite, Marinduque, Romblon, Guimaras, Cebu, Siquijor, Biliran, Bohol, Leyte, Southern Leyte, Aklan, Antique, Eastern Samar, Apayao, La Union, Pangasinan, Tarlac, Kalinga, Nueva Viscaya, Quirino, Nueva Ecija, Aurora, Benguet, Batanes, Camiguin, Misamis Oriental, South Cotabato, Saranggani and Davao Oriental.