VISCOM lauded for successful anti-insurgency campaign, disaster response

The Vice Chief of Staff of the Armed Forces of the Philippines commends the Visayas Command (VISCOM) for its significant accomplishments in its various campaigns. | Photo courtesy of VISCOM

CEBU CITY, Philippines — The Vice Chief of Staff of the Armed Forces of the Philippines applauds the significant accomplishments of the Visayas Command in its various campaigns.

Now the challenge is how to sustain their gains in the service.

Lieutenant General Erickson Gloria, Vice Chief of Staff of the Armed Forces of the Philippines, commends all VISCOM personnel for their successful clearing of focus areas, dismantling of guerilla fronts, and the neutralization of enemy vertical formation.

In its press statement released on Saturday, August 6, 2022, VISCOM stated that this blended activity that happened on Tuesday, August 4, 2022, is part of the VCSAFP administration and supervision of the General Headquarters (GHQ) units, Unified Commands, and the AFP-Wide Service Support Units, and as Program 4 Source Manager.

Among the highlights of VISCOM’s accomplishments is its efforts in internal security operations.

According to their report, from January 2022 to date, VISCOM, in coordination with its subordinate units, was able to dismantle one guerilla front and weakened another one during their joint operations.

These are aside from the 94 communist NPA terrorists that were neutralized, wherein 27 were killed out of the 75 encounters against government troops.

The 94 communist terrorists include nine personality leaders; four high-value individuals, and five finance officers.

Aside from their efforts against insurgency, they have also successfully responded to disasters even if they too suffered from these, particularly during typhoon ‘Odette’.

VISCOM was able to put up a Command Center through the efforts of their 323 Search, Rescue, and Retrieval Teams despite heavy power interruption.

“Hundreds of personnel and mobility assets were also dispatched to expedite the delivery of 1,632,875 tons of relief goods to the affected communities…Two Very Small Aperture Terminal (VSAT) communication assets were even installed in Bohol to facilitate efficient and reliable communication to the affected communities,” the statement reads.

Aside from their efforts during “Odette”, VISCOM also exerted immediate disaster response during tropical depression “Agaton”, which led to the rescue of 2, 500 individuals who were trapped in a flash flood and the retrieval of 123 cadavers during the landslide in Barangay Kantagos, Baybay City in Leyte.

“I encourage you to continue with your efforts and sustain your gains. With the leaders that you have, Lt Gen Robert C. Dauz, your Commander, Capt Oscar D. Canlas Jr, your Deputy Commander, and Col Vincent B. Iringan, your Chief of the Unified Command Staff, I am confident that you can achieve more,” Gloria said.

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