PEACE. Officials of Isabel, Leyte release white pigeons as a sign of peace during a ceremony held at the Isabel municipal covered court on Wednesday (June 12, 2024). Isabel and two other towns in Leyte province have been declared completely free from threats from the New People’s Army under the state of Stable Internal Peace and Security Condition. (Photo courtesy of the Philippine Army)
TACLOBAN CITY – Three more towns in Leyte province have been declared completely free from threats from the New People’s Army (NPA) under the state of Stable Internal Peace and Security Condition (SIPSC).
Brig. Gen. Noel Vestuir, commander of the Philippine Army’s 802nd Infantry Brigade, said in a phone interview Thursday that the towns of Hilongos, Isabel, and Merida formally earned the status on June 12.
Isabel and Merida were cleared of the communist group’s influence in 2016, followed by Hilongos in 2019, according to Vestuir. Since then, these municipalities have achieved and sustained a conflict-manageable status.
"With the declaration of Hilongos, Isabel, and Merida as Stable Internal Peace and Security Conditions (SIPSC), we send a strong message of unity in our quest to end local communist armed conflict and maintain a peaceful and secure environment for the peace-loving people of these towns," Vestuir said.
He urged the local leaders, particularly village officials, to continue and sustain their peace efforts.
"My appeal to the community is to be inhospitable to the remnants of the Communist Party of the Philippines - NPA and its allies and never again allow them to gain foothold in villages," Vestuir added.
The SIPSC declaration's highlights include the signing of memoranda of agreement and pledges of commitment, as well as the release of white doves symbolizing peace and new beginnings.
The towns’ respective mayors thanked all stakeholders who contributed to achieving SIPSC in their areas, as this would attract investments.
The Philippine Army, Philippine National Police, and Department of the Interior and Local Government also reaffirmed their strong support and commitment to sustaining peace and security in these towns.
Of the three areas, Hilongos was the most affected by armed conflict. The latest incident was in August 2019, when an armed rebel gunned down a village chief in an upland community.
Isabel was previously influenced by the NPA through the formation of left-leaning labor groups inside the Leyte Industrial Development Estate.
The mountains of Merida used to be the operational area of the dismantled NPA’s Mt. Amandewin Command.
A town earns SIPSC status if there has been no NPA activity in the area in the past two years and no resident is identified as an active armed rebel.
Vestuir noted that the achievement of a state of stable internal peace and security is the result of the cooperation and efforts of local government entities and their communities.
On May 17, the towns of Palompon and Matag-ob in Leyte were declared completely free from the influence of the NPA, the first two municipalities in the province to attain such status. (PNA)
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