8ID: NDF-EV could not stop development of Samar Island

By CMO Battalion, 8ID PA
June 2, 2011

CAMP LUKBAN, Catbalogan City  –  Unquestionably, “Samar Island currently lags in terms of economic development compared to its neighbouring provinces. It has been the trend for so many years until the pronouncement of the RDC 8 Chairman Gov. Petilla and the passing of the resolution during the last meeting on 20 May this year, that the road projects interconnecting the three provinces of Samar will be the priority of the council. These road projects are the keys to peace and development of Samar Island that will alleviate lives of the people and will free them from the tyrant group of NDF-EV’s spokesman Mr. Santiago Salas” says Major General Mario Chan, commander of the Army’s 8th Infantry Division.

Major General Chan is a stalwart partner of the local government units and strong advocate for the immediate construction and rehabilitation of the different roads and bridges throughout the region for he firmly believes that infrastructure projects precede sustainable economic growth. As Commander of the 8th Infantry Division, General Chan is committed to accomplish his mandate to protect the people, bring peace and security and stability and sustain development in Region 8.

While different government and non-government organizations are working hand-in-hand to realize the projects, the National Democratic Front-Eastern Visayas (NDF-EV) is continuously tagging “them as anti-insurgency and militarization of the region in the guise of pursuing peace and order but actually a way to running after the NPAs” – the armed group that the NDF protects.

It can be recalled that when General Chan announced his proposal to the different stakeholders and civil society group about these road projects that will pave the way to regional development, 8ID has become the focal point of the NDF’s propaganda campaign and malicious attack.

In the six paragraph press release by NDF-EV that was published in Samar News.com on May 21, 2011, Mr. Santiago Salas, the “defrocked” priest turned NDF-EV’s spokesman calls the development project in Samar a “road to war”.  Salas consistently speaks out loud in order to block the project by deceptively interceding and calling out for the people to support him capitalizing the issue that US is at the back of these projects.  (read NDF-EV slams 8th ID's US-funded “road to war”)

General Chan described the report as a total disgrace to the desire of the people to live with the standards of life.  He even categorically declared the allegations of NDF-EV to be baseless and immaterial.

“8ID and the different agencies continuously supporting the road projects are not connected with the Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC).  Even the funds that will be used are not coming from any foreign organizations.  It just happened that MCC has a similar project in the province which was already pronounced early last year and which I think will also help our province to move forward. I feel pity for Mr. Salas; he is desperately doing anything just to prevent development and the imminent defeat of the NPA bandits he protects” Chan proclaimed.

General Chan also disproved Salas’ claim that these projects only serve for military purposes.  Isn’t it an advantage for our people to facilitate transport of their goods from the production area to the market, do business and give them chance to prosper? Definitely, the projects have significance to military operations. Perhaps a very minimal percentage compared to the opportunity the projects proffer for development and prosperity in the Island of Samar.

Governor Paul Daza of Northern Samar also perceived positively with the good General’s 4.6 billion pesos proposed road projects. In his letter reply to General Chan’s letter request to support the proposal, Gov Daza affirmed that the road projects are really for the development and prosperity of the people of Samar.

“These road projects will open-up socio-economic activities between provinces and among towns located in the interior part of Samar Island and it will provide access to the delivery of basic social services as well as It will bring about opportunities in production, trade and processing thereby maximizing the utilization of existing facilities like seaports of Catbalogan, San Isidro and Calbayog City.  It will also contribute to the peace and order efforts of the government as these interior municipalities of Samar Island are considered conflict-afflicted areas,” the good governor says.

The ultimate purpose of these projects is for the development of Samar while for peace and order is just secondary.

Salas even mocked the “Bayanihan” culture of the Filipinos and called it as “US inspired”.  Is Salas ignorant that “Bayanihan” is a virtue that is expected of an individual Filipino by joining hands to do tough job a lot easier? Salas only proves that he is against Filipino culture and tradition that is valued by generations.  Is in it disrespectful to our human rights? Well it is obvious.

“Claiming that IPSP “Bayanihan” is targeting the social activists and supporters of local terrorist group, Salas is in a total day dreaming because what the 8ID is looking after is only the New People’s Army (NPA) bandits”, adds General Chan.

Calling these road projects as violations of human rights, Salas is totally deceiving our people to what human rights are.  NDF-EV is the one depriving our people of their rights by preventing the construction of roads that will give our people a more decent life.  Our people have the right to acquire the full access to our government to deliver basic services and to live freely away from harm and fear.  Now, who is violating our people’s right? Is it the Army pursuing the road projects for development or the CPP-NPA-NDF who are not doing anything but to criticize the government serving the people like a dog barking on his own caretakers? Again it is obvious.

“Salas calls the road projects as ‘road to war’.  Yes it is in a better perspective. It is a road to war against poverty.  It will be the main weapon in combating poverty, bringing food on our people’s table and giving them the most decent life that every people of Samar ever dreamed of.” says General Chan.

Development in Samar is the choice of the people, not by the 8ID. These projects have already been included in the development plan of Region 8 even before General Chan assumed as the commander of 8ID. The role played by the Army in the realization of these projects was just to propose them to be put on top of the priorities.  It is the people of Samar not the military are the one who wanted to have roads. Why don’t we give those services to them?

The consistent attempts of NDF-EV to stop these road projects in Samar Island only leaves certainty that the development will point towards the ultimate downfall of the NPA bandits and the group of Mr Salas.

But General Chan is positive that no one can stop the people from progressing.  Not even the selfish desire of the Communist Party of the Philippines to grab power, the lies of the National Democratic Front, the terror being carried out by the New People’s Army, the eloquent wordings of Mr. Salas who keep on barking at the crowd with his tails wrapped-in to him and even by vicious claim of some people vested in personal interest.

General Chan once again encouraged the people, members of the POs, CSOs, NGOs and other organizational sectors including the media, to unite and work hand in hand to instill to our people’s mind that the government is doing this for benefit once and for all.  He further said that Samar Island is left far behind than other provinces and the same problem will be inherited by the upcoming generations if it will not be abated.

The road they are claiming as “road to war” is the road that will be used by our misguided brothers (CPP-NPA) in coming back to the folds of the law for the attainment of a lasting peace, thus it is actually a road to peace.

As General Chan always says “There is no happiness and satisfaction derived from killing NPA rebels, only desperation. The real sense of fulfillment comes in embracing a rebel back to the folds of law and help him become productive and contented citizen of this country.”