|
Col.
Dinoh A. Dolina, Commander of the Army’s 802nd Infantry Brigade
(4th from L) stood next to Mayor Ramon Oñate, P/Chief Insp.
Hipolito Delima, LtCol. Nedy Espulgar of the 19IB and the
members of the Sangguniang Bayan during the signing of the Joint
Declaration of Palompon, Leyte as Insurgency-Free Municipality
on February 16, 2015. |
Palompon town
declared insurgency free
By JAZMIN BONIFACIO
February 18, 2015
KANANGA, Leyte – The
military has declared the entire municipality of Palompon, Leyte as
insurgency free.
The 19th Infantry Battalion
of the Philippine Army and the local government of Palompon, Leyte
issued the declaration following a series of validation and assessment
in the area, turning over the peace and security responsibilities over
the municipal government and the municipal police.
According to Col. Nedy
Espulgar, Battalion commander of 19th IB, Palompon has been enjoying a
peaceful existence but noted the need to further step up security in
the municipality, which has become among one of the region’s top
tourism destinations.
Espulgar said that while
Palompon has been relatively peaceful, the root cause of the
insurgency must be addressed by the government, to ensure the LGU
keeps its status.
“The government should work
closely with the Municipal and provincial planning and development
office and other line agencies for programs that would help the
locality remain insurgency free”.
Col. Dinoh Dolina, Brigade
Commander of the 802nd brigade Philippine Army, said that peace and
security is a complex issue that involves the implementation of firm
policies and it requires help from all stakeholders in the community.
Intelligence assessment
revealed that Palompon had long been insurgency free when two of its
infiltrated barangays were cleared in 2003.
Palompon is now the third
town in the province of Leyte to be tagged insurgency free next to
Merida and Matag-ob, Leyte last year.
