CAMP VICENTE LIM, Laguna – Three more towns in Quezon province have been declared free of communist rebels.
Candelaria, Calauag and Tiaong were declared cleared of communist insurgents in the past two days.
Thirty-six towns and two cities in Quezon had earlier been declared insurgency-free.
Quezon police director Col. Ledon Monte and Col. Joel Jonson, 85th Infantry Division commander, said police, military and local government officials signed memoranda of understanding on stable internal peace and security in the areas.
Authorities said the areas had been freed of the presence of New People’s Army rebels after local government units and the Municipal Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict managed internal security operations.