WEAKENING FORCE. The thick forest of Matuguinao, Samar, which used to be a hiding place for rebels. President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. said on Monday (May 20, 2024) he is convinced that Samar Island is now more peaceful with the weakening of the New People’s Army. (Photo courtesy of Samar Outdoor Club)
TACLOBAN CITY – President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. said Samar Island is more peaceful now with the weakening of the New People’s Army (NPA).
In an ambush interview here Monday, the President said he had seen the progress report of the peace and order situation in Samar provinces.
He said it is “getting better and better.”
"It's not so much anymore, it's not as chaotic as it used to be and there are still encounters, but not because -- large numbers and their organization have been reduced to small groups. So, I think the progress is sufficient. And, I think we will be able to do it in the schedule that we have given ourselves," the President said.
The military earlier reported that about 1,000 communities in Eastern Visayas were influenced by the NPA before the formation of the National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict under the Duterte administration in 2018.
Most of the areas are in the three Samar provinces.
According to previous military pronouncements, while there are still sightings of rebels in the tri-boundaries of Samar provinces, the villagers are no longer supporting them.
The government is targeting to make all areas in Samar completely free from NPA influence within the year.
In Samar province, Governor Sharee Ann Tan said insurgency is obviously weaker in recent years with the surrender of several leaders and fighters.
“In the 2022 elections, no politician in Samar received a letter demanding for revolutionary tax. That was the first election with no attempts from NPA to collect,” Tan said in an interview.
Meanwhile, Northern Samar Governor Edwin Ongchuan asked the national government to build a circumferential road in the tri-boundaries of Samar to ensure the sustainability of anti-insurgency efforts.
"We are the last bastion of insurgency and ending insurgency is a big challenge, especially in the boundaries of three Samar provinces," he said.
The proposed road will connect the towns of Silvino Lubos and Las Navas in Northern Samar to Matuguinao in Samar and Jipapad in Eastern Samar. (PNA)
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