Davao de Oro – More than 150 former Milisyang Bayan (MB), Sangay sa Partido sa Lokalidad (SPL), and NPA Mass supporters participated in the 3-day Peace Building (Live-in) Seminar in Municipal Sports Complex, Montevista, Davao de Oro on October 26-28, 2020 with the theme “Pakiglambigit ug pakigtimbayayong sa katawhan alang sa tinuoray nga kalinaw ug kalambuan.”
Six (6) barangays of Montevista, Davao de Oro were included in the seminar namely: Mayaon, Prosperidad, New Cebulan, Lebanon, Poblacion, and San Vicente after conducting a series of Peace Dialogues in the barangays. The said barangays were formerly infiltrated by Communist Terrorist Group (CTG) and many of its mass supporters were organized in different barangays in the Municipality.
After the encounter with the CTG last June 14, 2020, in Montevista, Davao de Oro, the 25th Infantry Battalion has identified recovery areas in selected barangays and deployed Modified Community Support Program (CSP) teams to further reorient NPA Mass supporters, reorganize, establish Integrated Territorial Defense System (ITDS) and transform the barangays into peaceful and conflict-resilient communities.
During the conduct of the Modified CSP on the said barangays, issues and propagandas used by CTG were addressed with the help of the Local Government Unit (LGU) of Montevista led by Hon. Eutropio S. Jayectin, Municipal Mayor.
During the conduct of the Peace Building Seminar, lectures from different government agencies were also discussed to the participants to inform them of the services they can avail of and inform them that the government is willing and determined to support and deliver basic services to the people to finally end Communist Armed Conflict.
Present during the program is the Municipal Mayor, Hon. Eutropio S. Jayectin, Municipal Mayor, Hon. Roel C. Abucejo, Chairman on Peace and Order, Barangay Captains of Mayaon, Prosperidad, Poblacion, New Cebulan, San Vicente and Lebanon, PCPT. GERALD E. BORJA, Montevista Chief of Police, LTC. ASNAWI P. MUTI (INF (GSC) PA, Battalion Commander of 25IB and COL. LUIS REX D. BERGANTE INF (GSC) PA, 1001st Brigade Commander.
“We ask for your commitment and support by helping us, the government is protecting your communities against terrorist groups. Let us unite and help one another to be vigilant to shield our loved ones from NPA lies and recruitment. Let us convince them to surrender to the Government so that we could attain lasting peace in the community” Hon. Eutropio Jayectin said.
“I have spent 30 years of service in the Philippine Army and I have experienced almost 100 NPA Armed groups in an encounter with only 40 of us, the government troops operating in the area during the past years of my service. Today, the NPA is now weakened and there are only a few of them left, let us stop them from recruiting other victims and inform ourselves and others by their lies and deceit to the people and stop them from going back in the barangays,” said COL. LUIS REX D. BERGANTE INF (GSC) PA, 1001st Infantry Brigade Commander.
(Civil-Military Operations Office | 25th Infantry Battalion | Joint Task Force Agila, Philippine Army | OIC Michael R. Manguhig, RPN DXKT Davao)
