AFP, PNP seek support from LGUs in counter insurgency drive in Leyte

By JONNIE H. BUENAVENTURA
August 13, 2010

TACLOBAN CITY  –  The Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) and the Philippine National Police (PNP) had sought the support of the Local Government Units (LGU) to counter the insurgency problems in Leyte particularly in the municipalities of Abuyog, Burauen and Carigara during the Executive Committee meeting of the Provincial Peace and Order Council (PPOC) Chaired by Governor Jericho Petilla and presided by Hon. Rolando Piamonte, Jr. held on August 09, 2010 at the Leyte Provincial Capitol, Tacloban City.

Lt. Col. Roberto Capulong, 19th IB Phil. Army, Commanding Officer, informed that they had encountered members of the New Peoples Army (NPA) in the municipalities of Abuyog, Burauen and Carigara which are the favorite areas considering there strategic locations and there remoteness, the residents can be easily brain washed by the promises initiated by the rebels.

Lt. Col. Capulong bared that in their recent raid in one of the camps of the rebels in one of the remote barangays in Carigara, Leyte they recovered documents showing the amounts collected during the recent national election which was perceived as Permit to Campaign (PTC) or Permit to Win (PTW), but he declined to name names for intelligence monitoring and validation.

Lt. Col. Capulong futher said that he was surprised when his men recovered many food items stocked by the rebels in the camp, which he concluded that this was obtained from the months of June, July and August after the election.

Meanwhile, Chief Supt. John Q. Sosito, PNP Leyte Provincial Director, said that the AFP/PNP presence and successful operations provide temporary solutions only, winning the hearts of the inhabitants which is the work of the LGU concern by eradicating injustice, lessening poverty by providing livelihood programs will somehow ease the economic burden these people are experiencing and will provide sustainable solutions to the problem.

Chief Supt. Sosito appealed to the Mayor’s in Leyte to increase the average allocation of only 77 liters per month in order to immediately do their work by responding promptly to areas of concern.

In another development, Police Insp. Mannico C. Acorda, Operations Officer of the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (PNP-CIDG 8) informed the PPOC Executive Committee, that 456 kgs. of cocaine bricks had so far been recovered and there are still 1,544 kgs. of cocaine bricks that are still missing for they had estimated that a total of 2 tons or 1,000 kgs. of cocaine bricks had been thrown by the foreign vessel to avoid detection by Philippine authorities.