12 Mt. Province bgys now insurgent-free
CAMP AQUINO, Tarlac City – Northern Luzon Command (NOLCOM) and the Directorate for Integrated Police Operations – Northern Luzon (DIPO – NL) declared Tuesday that 12 barangays and three Communist Terrorist Group (CTG) allied organizations in Mt. Province are already free from insurgency.
Based on military reports, Barangays Dalican, Guina-ang, and Mainit of Bontoc; Barangays Aguid, Fedilisan, Madongo, Bangaan, Pide, and Angkileng of Sagada; Brgys Balintaugan, Bagnen Proper, and Bagnen Oriente of Bauko were among the 12 barangays declared free of insurgency during the Area Clearing Validation Committee (ACVC) Meeting jointly presided by NOLCOM Deputy Commander, Brigadier General Andrew D Costelo, and PNP Deputy Director for Integrated Police Operations in Northern Luzon (DIPO-NL), PMGen Domingo S Cabillan.
In addition to the 12 barangays, the army said, three CTG allied organizations were also declared clear, following the neutralization of the party structure established by the communist terrorists within said organizations.
A report claimed that 12 barangays and the three CTG allied organizations are focus areas of Platoon William under the Kilusang Larangang Gerilya (KLG) AMPIS, the communist terrorist group that sowed terror in the areas of Abra, Mountain Province and Ilocos Sur.
Director for Integrated Police Operations in Northern Luzon (DIPO-NL), Police Lieutenant General Marni C Marcos JR attributed the success of their recent accomplishments to “the support and synergistic collaboration of the AFP and PNP”
NOLCOM Chief, Lieutenant General Arnulfo Marcelo B Burgos Jr. lauded the troops involved in the clearing effort. “This is a historic event, let me congratulate our troops, particularly Joint Task Force (JTF) Tala for their unyielding efforts to protect the well-being of our people in Mountain Province and free them from the menace of the communist terrorists.”
Lt Gen Burgos added that the communist rebels are already ‘losing the support of the community’ which is manifested in the series of setbacks ranging from the ‘neutralization of their ranking leaders, mass surrender from their ranks, and mass withdrawal of support from their exploited supporters resulting to the irreversible collapse of the various NPA fronts in our area of responsibility.
It can be recalled that three guerrilla fronts have already been dismantled in Northern and Central Luzon: KLG Southern Ilocos Sur; KLG Quirino- Nueva Vizcaya; and KLG – Sierra Madre. Said guerilla fronts have not recovered and the remaining guerilla fronts are weakening, as the support from the community continues to dwindle.
