ILOILO City – The Police Regional Office 6 (PRO-6) is optimistic that Western Visayas can be declared insurgency-free by 2028, aligning with President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s goal to eradicate insurgency nationwide by the end of his term.
Police Brigadier General Jack Wanky, director of PRO-6, praised the efforts of their counterparts in the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP), citing continuous operations that have led to numerous surrenders by members of the New People’s Army (NPA) across various police stations.
“We are witnessing their success in this war. Many have already surrendered, having no other recourse but to abandon their pursuits due to relentless AFP operations,” Wanky told Panay News.
Previously, Wanky acknowledged the significant presence of NPA groups in the region, especially on Panay Island.
Now, he has he noted a marked weakening of these groups, attributing the decline to effective military and police actions, including the recent apprehension of Francisco “Ka Tonying” Balaois, a key NPA-Panay figure facing multiple charges including murder, robbery, and rebellion.
The capture of “Ka Tonying” has reportedly disrupted the NPA’s ability to organize violence in communities.
Wanky also hinted at the impending regional declaration of Stable Internal Peace and Security (SIPS), which indicates readiness for development and a diminished influence of NPA within local barangays.
Addressing potential NPA activities at the barangay level, Wanky explained that these have largely shifted towards criminal activities such as extortion, distancing further from communist ideological instillation within communities.
In support of the AFP’s efforts, PRO-6 has deployed 319 personnel to strategically selected rural and urban barangays, identified as Geographically Isolated and Disadvantage Areas (GIDA). This initiative aims to prevent any resurgence of communist activities and insulate communities from drug proliferation while facilitating access to government services.
Secretary Carlito Galvez Jr. of the Office of the Presidential Adviser on Peace, Reconciliation and Unity, also emphasized the feasibility of achieving an insurgency-free region through converging efforts of national agencies to address the root causes of conflict.
Galvez highlighted the significant strides made across the country in reducing insurgent activities, with the Davao Region, Ilocos Region, and Zamboanga Peninsula already declared insurgency-free.
“The collective military and non-combat strategies have encouraged many insurgents to reintegrate into mainstream society, significantly weakening the guerrilla fronts,” Galvez said, citing the government’s amnesty program that has helped former rebels regain their political and civil rights.
From more than 80 guerrilla fronts, the active ones are now mainly in Samar, Bicol Region and Negros Island, Galvez noted. (With a report from the Philippine National Police/PN)
