SOUTHERN LEYTE: INSURGENT-FREE PROVINCE

CAMP JORGE DOWNES, ORMOC CITY, LEYTE. The 802nd Bde, 8ID, PA under the command of Colonel John S Bonafos facilitated the signing of a Joint Declaration by the 8th Infantry Division, Philippine Army and the Province of Southern Leyte declaring the province of Southern Leyte “INSURGENT-FREE”.

The signing was conducted on 29 September 2011 at Ruperto K Kangleon Function House, Maasin City, the capital of Southern Leyte province which was attended by the members of the Provincial Peace & Order Council headed by Governor Damian Gaviola Mercado and Vice-Governor Miguel C. Maamo II and the Mayors of Southern Leyte; and the members of the Armed Forces of the Philippines headed by Lieutenant General Ralph A Villanueva, Commander of the Central Command of the Armed Forces of the Philippines and Major General Mario F. Chan, Commander of the 8th Infantry Division, Philippine Army.

Since the entry of communist insurgency in Southern Leyte in the early 1970s, insurgency steadily grew until it reached its peak in 2001. Due to the massive Peace and Development operations of the 802nd Infantry Brigade and the very active support of the LGU and other stakeholders of peace in the province of Southern Leyte, the Communist Terrorists (CTs) either surrendered, abandoned the Communist Movement or evacuated the province and moved elsewhere. By yearend 2006, the main bulk of the South Leyte Front, the insurgent’s armed group in the province has been greatly diminished so the NPA leadership declared it dissolved and its remnants scattered to the other NPA Groups in other areas. The succeeding years saw a tranquil and peaceful Southern Leyte, resisting the treachery and resurgence of the communist cause.





“The main factor which led to the declaration of Southern Leyte an insurgent-free province is the determination, commitment and sincerity of the stakeholders specially the local chief executives in solving insurgency problems”, General Villanueva told to the members of the Peace & Order Council and other guests.
“The military alone cannot sustain the clearing of an area without the sincere support of the local government as proven in the 8th Infantry Division’s area of responsibility”, General Chan, added.

The challenge that the Provincial Government of Southern Leyte and 802 Brigade will face is the re-entry or resurgence of the insurgents in the province. But with constant evaluation and strengthening of our established Barangay Intelligence Network and the Integrated Territorial Security System and the commitment of the stakeholders, the insurgents have no place and no business to transact in the province.

Internal Security Operations in the provinces of Biliran, Cebu and Bohol was handed over from the AFP to the Provincial Peace and Order Council (PPOC); Province of Biliran in 2008 and the provinces of Cebu and Bohol in 2010. Thus, 4 of the 5 provinces in the 802nd Brigade area of responsibility were handed over to the respective Peace & Order Councils, the only brigade in the Philippine Army that successfully handed over Internal Peace Operations responsibility to the PPOC of four (4) provinces in a row.