Igbaras joins bandwagon, brands rebels as persona non grata

By Jennifer P. Rendon

Another town in Iloilo province has denounced the Communist Party of the Philippines – New People’s Army (CPP-NPA).

The town of Igbaras is the first municipality in the province to declare the CPP-NPA as persona non grata, through a resolution.

Done on Jan. 30, 2020, it was passed by Igbaras Municipal Peace and Order Council (MPOC) led by Mayor Jaime Esmeralda.

The resolution is in support of Executive Order No. 70.

Signed on Dec. 4, 2018, EO 70 is about “Institutionalizing the Whole-Of-Nation Approach in Attaining Inclusive and Sustainable Peace, Creating A National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict, and Directing the Adoption of A National Peace Framework.”

Meanwhile, the Philippine Army’s 61st Infantry Battalion lauded the bold action of Igbaras town to stomp the NPA in its midst.

“With Igbaras being the first town in Iloilo to declare the communist-terrorists as persona non- grata, rest assured that we will give our full support to the local government in its quest to end local communist armed conflict,” Lieutenant Colonel Joel Benedict Batara, 61st IB commander, said.

He also encouraged other LGUs in the province to take a step against the NPA

“Don’t let them enter your peaceful community,” Batara said.

He also gushed the council to continue helping the government in its battle against insurgency.

“Let us start our 2020 right. The terrorists are no longer significant, and we do not want our children and the children of our children to become the next victims of their selfish and bloody armed struggle. Let’s do our share in making them forever irrelevant,” Batara said.