LA TRINIDAD, Benguet (PIA) -- The Provincial Peace and Order Council has declared the province of Benguet an insurgency and communist terrorist group – free province.
The PPOC approved a resolution declaring Benguet an insurgency and communist terrorist group – free province during the 3rd Quarter Joint PPOC-PADAC-PAILTF Meeting at the provincial capitol on September 22, 2023.
PPOC Chairman Governor Melchor Diclas said the resolution is a formalization of the long-standing peaceful status of Benguet.
“The province of Benguet has always been enjoying the benefits of a peaceful and unflustered community thus unanimously declare the expressed and united commitment to maintain the advocacy for culture of peace and to uphold and preserve the peaceful integrity of the locality,” the resolution reads.
“Pursuant to the validations conducted by the Joint AFP-PNP Intelligence Committee of Northern Luzon (JAPIC-NL) which showed that the 13 municipalities composing the province of Benguet have never been categorized as an affected area nor listed as Konsolidado / Kinokonsolida / Ekspansyon / Rekover (RRKER) by any CTG or insurgency, the PPOC of the 13 municipalities issued resolutions expressly manifesting their support to the declaration of their municipality as insurgency and CTG – free municipality, “ it added.
Benguet Provincial Police Office Director PCol. Damian Olsim said that from 2018 to present, Benguet has no record of any insurgency or CTG-related incident or activity in any part of the province.
This was affirmed by 54th Infantry Battalion Commander Col. Emmanuel Diasen saying that there were no monitored sightings or activities of the armed components of the CTGs in the province of Benguet. He added that areas of CTGs in other neighboring provinces that are affecting Benguet have been dissolved.
Olsim reported that the latest result of the recent JAPIC Periodic Status Report Workshop 3rd Quarter 2022 confirmed the removal of Benguet from one of the operating areas of the weakened Guerilla Front – AMPIS while areas remain are some municipalities of Mountain province, Ifugao and Nueva Vizcaya.
The declaration of Benguet and insurgency and CTG- free province is timely with the nation celebrating National Peace Consciousness Month this September. (JDP/RMC- PIA CAR)
