Maj. Gen. Laurence E Mina, Commander of 5th Infantry Division recognized that the integral efforts of all the government agencies, security forces, stakeholders, locals, and former rebels will surely put an end to the five-decade terroristic activities of the Communist Terrorist Groups (CTG) in Cordillera Region.
Speaking during the Joint Regional Task Force-End Local Communist Armed Conflict Summing Up FY 2019-2021 in Cordillera Administrative Region, Maj. Gen. Mina said that the threats from CTG in Cordillera is irrelevant considering that their number is less than a hundred members based on their monitoring.
“The constant and collective surrender of the Communist NPA Terrorist (CNT) is a result of the relentless and effective implementation of the community support program and the Whole-of-Nation Approach to the geographically isolated and disadvantaged areas,” Mina said
The 5ID’s area of responsibility in Cordillera includes the provinces of Abra, Apayao, Benguet, Kalinga, Ifugao, and Mt. Province.
Mina reported that from 2019 to 2021, eight high-value individuals were neutralized, rescued, and returned to the folds of the law, while 52 CTG regular members, 107 NPA in the Barrios, and 44 members of underground movements from the Komiteng Larangang Guerilla (KLG) North Abra, KLG Ampis, KLG Baggas all of Ilocos-Cordillera Regional Committee, and West Front, Komiteng Rehiyon-Cagayan Valley in Northern Apayao abandoned the terrorist group due to hardships, hunger, and demoralization.
Army troops together with the other security forces confiscated and recovered 28 anti-personnel mines, two arms caches containing 80 high-powered and 14 low-powered firearms, and discovered 15 enemy hideouts through the help of the former rebels and the cooperation of the locals.
The troops successfully cleared eight barangays from insurgency in the region.
“We have completed operations for 31 Community Support Programs, provided housing assistance for former rebels in Kalinga. With the help of the concerned agencies, we have accredited an association of former rebels and conducted numerous Serbisyo Caravan that benefitted the locals in our AOR,” MGen. Mina shared.
(Source: 5th Infantry Division)
