2 Southern Leyte towns earn rebel-free tag

TACLOBAN CITY - Two more towns in Southern Leyte have been formally declared as completely free from the threats of the New People's Army (NPA), the Philippine Army said on Monday. Brig. Gen. Noel Vestuir, commander of the Philippine Army's 802nd Infantry Brigade, said the declaration led by the town mayors of San Ricardo and Pintuyan marked a significant milestone in the ongoing efforts to maintain peace and stability. 'With no sightings of armed rebels for several years now, these towns have achieved insurgency-free status and officially, stable internal peace and security conditions (SIPSC),' Vestuir said in a phone interview. A town earns SIPSC status if there has been no NPA activity in the area for several years, and no resident is identified as an active armed rebel, according to Vestuir. Ceremonies were held on Oct. 11 to highlight the declarations, which included the signing of memoranda of agreements and pledges of commitment, along with the simultaneous release of white doves, symbolizing peace and new beginnings. Earlier this year, officials held the same declaration in 39 towns in Leyte Island, Biliran province, and some parts of Samar and Eastern Samar provinces under the operational area of the 802nd Infantry Brigade. In Southern Leyte province, the rebel-free status has been declared earlier in the towns of Padre Burgos, Bontoc, and Macrohon. Vestuir said these municipalities were cleared of communist terrorist group influence for years and have since achieved conflict-manageable status. The military said several areas in the region have long been peaceful; hence, the declaration of the SIPS condition is just a formal and official manifestation of the commitment of local leaders and people to sustain the peace, and never allow any threat groups to gain a foothold in their communities. Source: Philippines News Agency