After formally declaring Davao Region as insurgency-free on Thursday, President Ferdinand R. Marcos commended the Eastern Mindanao Command (Eastmincom) for its campaign to secure peace and security against the New People’s Army (NPA) in the area.
“We must acknowledge the efforts of our men and women in uniform, particularly the Eastern Mindanao Command for ensuring the protection and security of our people to your various civil and military operations,” Marcos said.
Marcos, the commander-in-chief of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP), also recognized the “collective victory of the government” and the assistance of various sectors that worked together to attain peace in the region.
He also cited the efforts of the local government units, government agencies, and law enforcement authorities in the region for supporting the National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (NTF ELCAC).
Likewise, the President urged everyone to sustain the gains through the continuous implementation of the whole-of-nation approach to prevent the NPA from recruiting and regrouping in the countryside.
“We cannot afford to go back to square one; thus I call on the Armed Forces, government agencies, LGUs, and communities to continue working together to seize the gains in the region and ensure that we will carry this momentum towards the future,” Marcos said.
In the same event, Lt. Gen. Greg Almerol, the Eastmincom commander, presented to the President the command’s peace, security, and development efforts in Eastern Mindanao, which resulted in the dismantling of various communist NPA units.
Almerol also showed the President the captured, confiscated, surrendered, and recovered (CCSR) firearms from the NPA as a result of their focused military operations.
“We are more than honored to finally meet the President. His recognition of our triumphs in peace, security, and development of communities in our joint operational area will surely bolster the morale of the troops who work day and night to ensure the security of our people from the communist terrorists,” the Army official said.
Source: Philippines News Agency
