The military said the implementation of the Executive Order or the creation of the National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (NTF-ELCLAC) was successful.
The problem on insurgency and other armed conflict was given priority with the signing of Executive Order No. 70 of President Rodrigo Duterte.
Speaking on Wednesday’s AFP-PNP press briefing held at The Royal Mandaya Hotel, Capt. Jerry Lamosao, the spokesperson of 10th Infantry Division, said, “Through our regional task force to end Local Communist Armed Conflict (RTF-ECLAC), we have organized our security measures.”
“If there are issues in far-flung areas, the community support team gives assessments to the areas wherein the agencies are also directly responding to it, ” Lamosao said.
He also said the implementation of EO 70 is fruitful, not just in the number of surrenderees and firearms recovered, surrenders, and killed. More importantly, they managed to introduce development to remote communities and make the residents feel that their government is present.
“There are already many services entered and provided in the area,” he added. “There are still more, but we are hoping that those areas cleared will not be regained by the armed group.”
“We are happy because before the Martial Law will be lifted, they have already established their barangay defense system,” he said.
Since January until Dec 18, 2019, the Army has recorded 315 regular NPAs who surrendered. There were also 240 Militiang Bayan who surrendered, 39 members of Sangay sa Partido ng Lokalidad, and 629 Underground Mass Organization members and sympathizers.
He said a total of 192 high-powered and 85 low-powered firearms were also recovered from different clash sites during the period. Meanwhile, 311 firearms were surrendered by the communist guerrillas.
