Catbalogan-based army to end insurgency in East Visayas by 2013

By Aurora J. Casimpan

Thursday 2nd of August 2012

TACLOBAN CITY, Leyte, Aug 2 (PIA) -- The Catbalogan City-based 8th ID Philippine Army has promised to end the insurgency problem in Eastern Visayas by year 2013.

Presently, the provinces of Leyte, Southern Leyte and Biliran have been declared as insurgency-free while the Samar Island composed of the provinces of Samar, Eastern Samar and Northern remains to be totally rid of insurgents.

Lt. Col. Noel Vestuir, commanding officer of the 20th Infantry Battalion based in Lope de Vega, Northern Samar said the army’s presence in some areas of Samar Island is part of the military’s duty to secure the welfare and security of the people in the villages and that his troops visit remote villages to ensure that the villagers will be free from the influence of the New People’s Army (NPA).

Vestuir has also dismissed the claim of the spokesperson of the of the National Democratic Front of the Communist Party of the Philippines (NDF-CPP) denouncing the army’s “widespread militarization” focusing as national priority areas in Northern Samar and Western Samar. (EOT/AJC-PIA8)