New Corella declared peaceful, development ready

DAVAO DEL NORTE, April 28 (PIA) - - The Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) declared yesterday at Matinao Resort, the municipality of New Corella as peaceful and development ready area.

1003rd Infantry Brigade Commanding Officer Col. Harold Cabreros emphasized that the declaration signified the culmination of the Peace and Development Outreach Program (PDOP) of the army and that there is no more organized masses of the Communist Party of the Philippines / New People’s Army / National Democratic Front (CNN) in New Corella.

“Although we have reports that there still are armed groups roaming in the municipality coming from the neighbouring province but that does not mean that there is CNN affectation in the area,” Col. Cabreros said.

“It just means that the community no longer wants to join the activities of the rebels,” Cabreros said.

60th Infantry Battalion Commander LTC Roberto Bunagan recalled that before the PDOP, the Sandatahang Yunit Propaganda (SYP) Front 43 operated in ten of the 20 barangays of the municipality.

“So after the needs assessment, we have conducted, together with other government line agencies, socio-economic development interventions like seedlings dispersal and skills training and other social services,” LTC Bunagan said.

Col. Cabreros clarified that the PDOP culmination indicated nothing about the army’s withdrawal in the area rather only the transfer of the responsibility as lead agency from the Philippine Army to the Municipal Peace and Order Council (MPOC) chaired by Mayor Nestor Alcoran.

“We are still here as a member of the MPOC and we will still guard the municipality from possible resurgence of the rebels,” Cabreros said. (PIA11, Michael Uy)