Army Seeks Panay Island’s declaration as ‘insurgency free’

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By Jennifer P. Rendon

Will Panay Island soon be declared insurgency-free?

The Philippine Army’s 3rd Infantry Division (3ID) has requested support from the Regional Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (RTF-ELCAC) 6 to declare Panay Island a Stable Internal Peace and Security (SIPS) zone.

The SIPS zone declaration is considered a prelude to proclaiming an area as insurgency-free.

The 3ID presented its proposal during RTF-ELCAC 6’s third-quarter full council meeting on August 28 at the Diversion 21 Hotel in Iloilo City.

In seeking support for the declaration of Panay as a SIPS zone, Major General Marion Sison, 3ID commander and concurrent co-chairman of the Peace, Law Enforcement, and Development Support (PLEDS) cluster, highlighted the significant gains made against Communist Terrorist Groups (CTGs) on Panay Island.

Sison presented data and noteworthy strides to support the SIPS zone declaration.

The 3ID team emphasized the province of Antique’s readiness for SIPS status, noting that the Provincial Joint Peace and Security Coordinating Council (PJPSCC) is set to declare the province a SIPS zone this September, coinciding with the adoption of the Provincial Peace and Order Council (PPOC).

Data presented by the 3ID showed a significant decrease in the New People’s Army (NPA)’s manpower and firepower from the first quarter of 2023 to the second quarter of 2024.

The NPA’s manpower dropped from 181 to 84, while the group’s firepower decreased from 242 to 109.

Further, the 3ID noted the neutralization of 11 key leaders, cadres, and members of CTGs on Panay in a series of encounters from July 1, 2024, to the present.

These included top leaders of the Komiteng Rehiyon-Panay (KR-P), namely Maria Concepcion Araneta Bocala, popularly known as Concha, the Deputy Secretary of KR-P; Vicente Hinojales, also known as Arjie, Hadjie, Mandi, and LJ, the Regional Secretary of KR-P; and Vivian Torato Teodosio, also known as Mia/Babes/Mara, the Secretary of the Central Front, the remaining guerrilla front of the KR-P.

The 3ID leadership underscored that the neutralization of key KR-P leaders, combined with the positive results of focused military operations, may satisfy the criteria for dismantling the Central Front and weakening the KR-P, paving the way for the declaration of Panay Island as a SIPS zone.

During the meeting, the RTF-ELCAC 6 also endorsed the declaration of the Negros Island Region (NIR) as a SIPS state, following a recommendation from the 3ID.

Department of Energy Undersecretary Giovanni Carlo Bacordo, representing Secretary Raphael Lotilla, who is also Cabinet Officer for Regional Development and Security (CORDS) for RTF-ELCAC 6, approved the recommendation following a motion by Police Regional Office 6’s Operations Division Chief Colonel Gilbert Gorero, representing PRO6 Director Brigadier General Jack Wanky.

Bacordo stated that a resolution for the declaration and a letter for the President, inviting him to declare NIR as a SIPS state, would be drafted and signed by ACORDS.

The RTF-ELCAC 6 Full Council, through Bacordo, also urged the National Intelligence Coordinating Agency 6 (NICA6) to expedite the evaluation, vetting, and validation process for NGOs and People’s Organizations prior to accreditation by provincial and municipal Local Government Units (LGUs).

Meanwhile, Sison said this latest development is a testament to the collaborative efforts, hard work, and dedication of RTF-ELCAC 6, local government units, and stakeholders, signifying a significant milestone in their collective endeavors to achieve lasting peace and security.

“The declaration of SIPS is expected to further bolster development initiatives, attract investments, and create a more conducive environment for peace and prosperity in this part of the country,” he said.