Esperon bares local action to end armed conflict

National Security Adviser Hermogenes Esperon Jr. (2nd from right), vice chair of the National Task Force to End Local Communisty Armed Conflict (NTF-ELCAC), explains the need to have a local task force to provide basic services and identify projects for their areas. Also in photo are Iloilo Governor Arthur Defensor Jr. (left), Guimaras Governor Samuel Gumarin (2nd from left), and Secretary Allen Capuyan (right), executive director of NTF-ELCAC secretariat. | CDND PHOTO / Irene R. Sino Cruz

CEBU CITY, Philippines — A coordinated effort among local government units and national government agencies will end or prevent recurrence of communist insurgency in all areas.

National Security Adviser Hermogenes Esperon Jr. said an inter-agency task force called National Task Force to End Local Communist Rebel Armed-Conflict (NTF-ELCAC) was created by President Rodrigo Duterte in December 2018 after the peace talks with the communist rebels failed last year.

Esperon, who sits as vice chairman of the NTF-ELCAC, said the task force came up with the national plan to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (NP-ELCAC), which identified the measures needed to overcome the challenges towards achieving peace.

The plan calls for combined efforts of the security forces and the civilian bureaucracy in providing basic services and projects, which aims to put an end to the communist insurgency.

According to Esperon, the security forces would first clear an area where there are armed groups while the civilian component would follow to provide basic services.

He explained that the local government units have to organize a local task force.

Aside from targeting the rebel-affected areas, Esperon explained that this plan should be implemented at all levels, especially in areas which are geographically isolated and disadvantaged with high poverty rates.

The retooled community support program would be implemented in these areas, which would be civilian-led, although there would still be presence of the government’s security forces.

He added that the task force commander would be the area’s top civilian official at each level.

Aside from using local funds for various projects in their respective areas, Esperon said local governments can tap government agencies, which have funds that could be used for projects.

He clarified that the local task forces have the responsibility to maintain insurgency-free areas.

“We don’t want to be complacent,” Esperon said. 

Meanwhile, Major General Linoh Dolina, Central Command chief, said they have cleared 31 of the 322 rebel-infested barangays in the Visayas. 

According to Dolina, the Armed Forces of the Philippines has set a target of at least eight communist rebel fronts to be cleared by March 2020.

In Region 8, there are 11 communist rebel fronts.

“We have gained a lot for this month alone. We have 22 encounters up to now. For the last two weeks we have been making contact with the armed components (of the communist rebels), which meant that people have started to provide information (about their presence),” he added.

The regional directors and heads of various government agencies and security forces held a review of plans and programs for the Visayas on Wednesday, October 16, at the Golden Prince Hotel in Cebu City. / celr