MEMBERS of the 91st Special Action Company of the Philippine National Police’s (PNP) Special Action Force (SAF) and the Camarines Norte Provincial Mobile Force Company (PMFC) have finished a ten-day “Revitalized-Pulis sa Barangay” (R-PSB) training program, which will ensure government presence in areas in Bicol where they are needed most, specifically in some identified place with heavy New People’s Army (NPA) influence.

PNP-SAF Director Brigadier Gen. Edgar Alan O. Okubo and PRO5 Director Brig. Gen. Rudolph B. Dimas agreed to come up with the program to train their men who will provide good governance to residents living in so-called “Geographically Isolated and Disadvantageous Areas” or GIDAS initially in Camarines Norte.

Okubo attended the closing ceremony of the training program held at Camp Wencelao Q. Vinsons in Daet, Camarines Norte along with Vice Governor Joseph Ascutia, Labo Mayor Severino Francisco, and other local government and police officials last Thursday.

The R-PSB director earlier said he wants to bring the program to some conflict areas in the country in support of PNP Chief Gen. Rodolfo S. Azurin Jr.’s effort to ensure that there will be a government presence that will help address the needs of the populace and most of all, counter violent extremism and communist ideas.

The Camarines Norte provincial government commended the PNP-SAF and the PRO5 for tapping the help of local government units and non-government agencies in capacitating the police commandos to support their “Retooled Community Support Program”.\

Vice Gov. Ascutia emphasized that the R-PSB program if done in collaboration with the constituent agencies of the local government unit (LGU) will truly mark a winning streak to win the hearts and minds of the community specifically those living in GIDAS.

Okubo said that members of the 91st SAC will be redeployed in Barangay Dumagmang in Labo municipality along with those from the Camarines Norte PMFC.

He and Dimas recommended the move to bring the PNP’s mobile forces to the “center of gravity” of NPA, which is known for having a high influence in the area.

On March 19, 2021, heavily-armed NPA rebels attacked a group of policemen sent to guard a government road construction project in Bgy. Dumagmang, killing five PNP personnel and injuring two others. The attack was staged by the NPA guerillas after they got wind of the presence of the policemen who were also investigating a report of NPA extortion activities in the area.

Okubo and Dimas said their men will have the “mission to recover the area and clear the barangay from NPA influence” thru the R-PSB concept in collaboration with the LGUs and different national agencies.

Okubo said he has agreed to meet the local government officials and different stakeholders every month to discuss the progress and issues that will be developed or encountered by the troops later as part of their “whole-of-nation approach” to address the situation.

The PNP-SAF director last month also talked with Basilan Governor Hajiman Hataman-Salliman to bring the R-PSB program to Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) areas in Western Mindanao in full support of Azurin’s effort to help bring “peace” in many conflict areas in the Southern Philippines.

The official said they also discussed the need for the government to “civilianize the MILF Base Camps by exploring livelihoods, economic opportunities, and education for their children.” It is in this light that the R-PSB program of the police force will come.

Both also agreed that the PNP and the Armed Forces, which are representing the government need to reassess their continuing way to present their accomplishments by coming up with the number of enemies neutralized and weapons seized.

Okubo earlier committed to fully support the planned nationwide implementation of the successful R-PSB concept in Southern Mindanao which has been credited to be a major factor in the collapse and defeat of the insurgency in the region.

The official is particularly committed to deploying two companies from every SAF battalion to fully implement the R-PSB program in their areas of assignment.

The PNP-SAF director also reported to Azurin that he will likewise create and train one SAF Intelligence Battalion that will cater to the intelligence requirement of their regular battalions to further enhance their missions and operational accomplishments.

At present, the PNP-SAF has 14 regular battalions complemented by a Rapid Deployment Battalion and a Force Support Battalion.

Since 2019, around 17,000 indigenous people and other poor folks living in so-called GIDAS in Southern Mindanao are now qualified to avail of different government services, thanks to the birth certificates they have finally acquired thru the help of the R-PSB program of the Police Regional Office 11 (PRO 11) formerly headed by Major Gen. Filmore B. Escobal.

Okubo, a former PRO11 Deputy Regional Director for Administration supervised the activities of the PRO11 R-PSB, which was activated to provide basic government service to poor tribesmen in the region and keep them away from the recruitment activities of the rebels.

The PRO11 R-PSB has enjoyed the full support of local residents as its personnel has helped construct roads, school buildings, artesian projects, and water systems for local tribesmen and other poor folks in the region apart from helping bring primary education to young villagers.

The R-PSB personnel also facilitated the mass wedding of dozens of local tribesmen who were previously vulnerable to NPA recruitment, their areas formerly known as “insurgent mass base” since the local folks have difficulty in obtaining basic documents such as birth and marriage certificates.