MARAWI CITY, Lanao del Sur (PIA)--Amid the concern about the elements jeopardizing the security of the citizenry in the municipality of Piagapo in Lanao del Sur province, the local government unit of Piagapo alongside the military strongly pleaded with the public to aid in the campaign of ending violent extremism.
103rd Infantry Brigade Deputy Commander Col. Billy Dela Rosa reported that the security situation in this province is stable. However, remnants of the Dawlah Islamiya-Maite Group (DI-MG) were still seen intimidating some villages and disrupting enforced projects.
He bared that while the municipal government of Piagapo has been determined to construct an access road to connect the secluded Brgy. Taporug and the town proper, lawless elements were causing trouble, resulting in the delay of the project implementation, which is now halfway to its completion.
Dela Rosa detailed that armed individuals were disturbing the operation and threatening to burn down the equipment.
This was confirmed by Piagapo Mayor Ali Sumandar, who revealed that some Dawlah Islamiya-linked group wanted to negotiate with him to allow him to finish his project.
He disclosed that the lawless elements initially demanded to be paid with P500,000, which was later reduced to P300,000.
Sumandar was accordingly firm in his decision to disapprove of this settlement as he disdained these local terrorists who have been taking advantage for the past years.
Nonetheless, he assured that they are finding means to push for the project completion without compromising the safety of their workers.
103rd Infantry Brigade Deputy Commander Col. Billy Dela Rosa also clarified that they deployed some soldiers in Brgy. Taporug to guarantee peace and order, especially since they recorded a history of recruitment in this place.
“Nagkaroon tayo ng community support program dahil itong lugar ay nakikitaan natin ng indikasyon na dito nanggagaling ang recruits ng DI-MG. Itong pagdeploy is para sabihin sa mga tao na ang recruitment ng DI-MG ay hindi dapat mangyari because nandito naman ang gobyerno nila na umaaksyon sa mga hiling at hinaing ng mga tao dito,” he said.
(We had a community support program here because we observed in this place the indication that the recruits of the DI-MG came here. This deployment is to tell the people that the recruitment of the DI-MG should not happen because the government is here, ready to take action on the requests and concerns of the people here.)
In exchange for this effort, Dela Rosa stirred the residents to ensure that there would be no one compromising the achievement of this undertaking through unwelcoming the presence of DI-MG.
He emphasized that no member of this local terrorist group would dare to set foot in this village if it did not get any cooperation from the villagers.
Dela Rosa underscored that residents should rather help in convincing their relatives or friends who are still part of the DI-MG to return to their normal living as the army and the municipal government would be willing to welcome them back.
He then denied the circulating information that they use violence against those members who yield to authorities, citing that there have already been surrenderees who could prove how their lives were positively changed after they headed back to the fold of the law.
