Friday, October 18, 2019

4ID chief directs new 36IB commander to clear CNTs in SurSur

By Nida Grace P. Barcena

TANDAG CITY, Surigao del Sur, Oct. 18 (PIA) -- MGen. Franco Nemesio Gacal, commanding general of the 4th Infantry Division (4ID), has directed the newly-assumed commander of 36th Infantry "Valorian" Battalion (36IB), Philippine Army, to clear the Communist New People’s Army Terrorists (CNTs) in his area of operation during the change of command ceremony held at the 36IB headquarters in Barangay Dayoan, Tago, Surigao del Sur. 

Lt. Col. Jezreel Diagmel assumed as the new commander of 36IB after Lt. Col. Xerxes Trinidad turned-over his responsibility last October 4, 2019. Lt. Col. Diagmel is the 29th commander to man the Valorian troopers.

“I am directing you (Lt. Col. Diagmel) to clear the CNTs within your area of operation,” said MGen Gacal.

He also said that he does not want that the CNT will celebrate its anniversary in the province. It can be recalled that the province has been the venue of the CNT in the previous anniversary celebrations.

“I do not want the communist terrorists to be able to celebrate any anniversary in your area of responsibility (AOR)… Do not allow them to disturb the peace of the people and conduct atrocities," said MGen. Gacal.

MGen. Gacal has also reminded the troopers to always uphold the rule of law.

Meanwhile, during the time of the then commander Lt. Col. Trinidad, the battalion participated in the conduct of 14 brigade initiated operations, 33 battalion-initiated operations, and 106 company initiated operations. Those initiatives led to 32 successful encounters against the CNT that  resulted in the four enemies killed and recovery of 52 firearms, 23 anti-personnel mines, and the discovery of 21 CNT hideouts.

Under the leadership of Lt. Col. Trinidad, 14 Community Support Programs (CSP) operations have already launched. There were also 14 CNT infested barangays that were cleared and validated. (PIA-Surigao del Sur)

DILG Caraga monitors 2nd semester barangay assemblies

By Marilou Autor-Salad

BUTUAN CITY, Oct. 18 -- Tasked to monitor the conduct of the barangay assemblies, the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) field officers across the region consolidated the schedules of barangay assemblies and ensured compliance to the semestral assembly as stipulated in the Local Government Code (RA 7160) as an avenue for transparency, accountability and participation.

As in previous runs, the DILG regional management took part in the monitoring by observing the conduct of the assembly in showcased barangays. This semester, the showcased barangay was Taglatawan in Bayugan City, Agusan del Sur.

DILG Caraga assistant regional director Donald Seronay who headed the regional monitoring team relayed the message of DILG Secretary Eduardo Año to the barangay officials and constituents. The message emphasized the importance of the assembly day, the fact that it recognizes the active cooperation and participation of the residents on various matters that affect them, directly or indirectly.

“Malaki ang tiwala ng Pangulong Rodrigo Duterte sa kakayahan ng mga barangay na maging kaagapay sa pagsasakatuparan ng ating mga mithiin para sa bayan. Sa katunayan, noong nakaraang SONA, malugod na ibinalita ng ating Pangulo ang ambag ng mga Barangay Anti-Drug Abuse Councils o BADAC sa tagumpay ng pamahalan sa kampanya laban sa iligal na droga. Kami sa DILG ay nagpapasalamat sa inyong masigasig na pagtulong sa kampanyang ito,” relayed Seronay.

Bayugan City mayor Kirk Asis also made the rounds to interact and deliver his message to the constituents. One lucky 93-year-old, the most senior among the crowd, amassed claps and cheers from the crowd when he was awarded by the mayor with P5,000 cash for making it to the barangay assembly.

Constituents in barangay Taglatawan were fortunate to hear more substantial messages from the key officials of the city such as the city health officer, city social welfare and development officer, local police, Philippine Army officers. They also listened to the Barangay Financial Status Report and the State of the Barangay Address (SOBA) of punong barangay Marianito V. De Chavez.

Consistent with the thrust of the government to promote peace and development, government efforts towards providing services that matter to the livelihood and well-being of the constituents were extensively discussed.

Two other barangays of Bayugan City, Saguma and Magkiangkiang, were also visited by other monitoring teams from the DILG regional office as these were two of the 80 priority barangays under the Duterte administration’s Executive Order 70 to end local communist armed conflict.

“Samantala, gusto rin nating palakasin ang Barangay Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council na layuning siguruhin ang kaligtasan ng bawat pamayanansa mga sakuna. Hinihiling ko rin ang tulong at pakikiisa ng mga barangay sa ating adhikaing puksain na angmga mapanlinlang na teroristang komunistang grupo. Dapat malaman ng mamamayan na wala sa komunismo at pakikisali sa mga grupong ito ang progreso ng ating mga buhay at bayan. Hindi mahahanap sa kanila ang solusyon sa ating mga suliranin,” mentioned Seronay as he read the message of DILG Secretary Eduardo Año.

With the theme, “Barangay muna: Nagkakaisang barangay, kaagapay ng bansang maunlad,” barangay assemblies in the region were set to be conducted on any of the Saturdays or Sundays of October 2019, as directed through the DILG Memorandum Circular No. 2019-158 dated September 20, 2019. (LGOO V, DILG-13/PIA-Caraga)

AgNor town forms MTF-ELCAC

1Lt Roel T. Maglalang

BUENAVISTA, Agusan del Norte, Oct. 18 -- The local government unit of Las Nieves, Agusan del Norte together with different sectors, Philippine National Police and the 23rd Infantry Battalion (23IB), Philippine Army created a Municipal Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (MTF-ELCAC) on October 1, 2019 at the Mayor’s Conference Room, Municipal Hall, Las Nieves, Agusan del Norte.

The MTF-ELCAC was organized through a Joint Resolution between the Municipal Peace and Order Council (MPOC) and Municipal Development Council (MDC) of Las Nieves.

Chynthia Binondo, MLGOO, Las Nieves, presented and discussed the DILG Memorandum Circular No. 2019-125, the Guidelines for Local Government Units in Implementing Executive Order 70-Institutionalizing the Whole of Nation Approach in attaining inclusive and sustainable peace, the creation of MTF-ELCAC and the role of every sector during its implementation.

Meanwhile, Mayor Avelina S. Rosales said the creation of MTF-ELCAC will ensure that all sectors are sustainably taking the lead in peace building efforts to attain inclusive and sustainable peace in conflict-affected communities. "The creation of MTF-ELCAC is the bases and guide in crafting the BTF-ELCAC in the Barangay level. Through this, we will know the task, duties and function of very person who will handle it," Rosales added.

Moreover, Lt. Col. Francisco L. Molina, Jr., 23IB commanding officer, supported the creation of MTF-ELCAC to address the primary and secondary problems and issues of the identified conflict affected Barangays. “In the past 50 years, it is only the AFP who confronts insurgency. Good thing our President Rudrigo Roa Duterte passed the Executive Order 70-Institutionalizing Whole of Nation Approach in solving insurgency. The convergence effort of LGUs, the civilian sector and stakeholders is a big push in addressing and solving insurgency,” Lt. Col. Molina said. (CMO Officer, 23IB Philippine Army/PIA Agusan del Norte)