CAGAYAN DE ORO City, Jan. 4, 2011—The Philippine Army’s 4th Infantry “Diamond” Division yesterday vowed to pursue its partnership with local government units (LGUs), Local Government Agencies (LGAs), non-government organizations (NGOs) and the church to sustain the gains of peace in its areas of responsibility.
Major Eugenio Julio Osias IV, commander of the Civil-Military Operations (CMO) Battalion of the 4th ID, said that the 4th ID’s partnership with LGUs, NGOs and the church is already a proven strategy in “pacifying” a locality strategy against the inroads of the four-decade old Maoist insurgency.
“The 4ID will work with the LGUs, LGAs, NGOs, church leaders and PNP in securing the people to include all business establishment to help in sustaining the economic gains in the area,” Osias said.
The partnership of the 4th ID, Misamis Oriental LGU and LGAs, peace and development NGO Balay Mindanaw Foundation, Inc. (BMFI) and the Archdiocese of Cagayan de Oro, have successfully erased any traces of insurgency in the province after the partnership “conquered” the NPA stronghold in Sitio Lantad in the municipality of Balingasag in 2006 without firing a single bullet and bloodshed.
Sitio Lantad, Barangay Kibanban, Balingasag in Misamis Oriental is a former stronghold of the Communist Party of the Philippines-New People’s Army’s (CPP-NPA) Front Committee 4B, North Central Mindanao.
In the late 80s through the 90s, Maoist insurgents all over Northern Mindanao and Caraga Regions get their logistical supplies from its Lantad stronghold.
The CPP-NPA, led by “Mayor” Conrado Castillo, set up a shadow government in Lantad in 1987. Afterwards, all government services were taken over by the rebels including health and education.
Ninety-five percent of Sitio Lantad’s population is Higaonon.
The NPAs used the Higaonons’ native bush craft and knowledge of the terrain to effectively isolate the sitio from the rest of Misamis Oriental using indigenous booby traps and landmines to make it impregnable to government attacks.
Because of its “isolation,” the administration of Misamis Oriental Governor Oscar Moreno identified the sitio as a high-profile target for development the moment he assumed the governorship n 2004.
Helped by BMFI, whose former executive director Ariel C. Hernandez sits as co-chairman of the Provincial Peace and Order Council, and other stakeholders, Moreno realized his dream to conquer Lantad with the reopening of the Kibanban-Lantad provincial road in July 8, 2006.
According to Moreno, Lantad “is a good example of what stakeholders can really do if they only flex their muscle and invest their resources in sustaining peace and development efforts.”
The 4th ID partnership with other stakeholders is just one of the components of what Osias called “community organizing for peace and development (COPD)” strategy to counter the recruitment of the NPAs, “who are being considered as the stumbling block or hindrance for national development.”
While giving a premium on its peace and development effort to win back the hearts and minds of the insurgents and their supporters, the 4th ID also pursues offensive operations against the rebel group in its AOR.
Osias said that they have been directed by 4th ID commander Major Gen. Victor Felix to resume operations against the NPA especially in remote communities in Northern and Eastern Mindanao, which is under the sway of Jorge “Ka Oris” Madlos, the CPP-NPA-NDF’s Northeastern Mindanao Regional Party Committee leader.
“Major Gen. Victor Felix is committed to stop all the criminal activities of the CPP-NPA who are exploiting the people and the business sector under the 4ID AOR. He ordered the Diamond troopers to resume the military offensive after the ceasefire especially that the CPP-NPA leadership also declared to intensify attacks against government forces and civilian communities,” Osias said.
Felix issued the directive before the expiration of the 19-day “Christmas ceasefire” midnight Monday in anticipation of a renewed offensive to be launched by the NPAs. (Bong D. Fabe)
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