DAVAO City inches closer to becoming an insurgency-free city as guerilla front groups were officially declared as dismantled on Thursday, March 24, 2022 by the Joint 10th Infantry Division (10ID), Philippine Army (PA), and Police Regional Office-Davao (PRO-Davao).
Sub-Regional Guerilla Unit (SRGU) and Sub-Regional Command (SRC) 5 were officially dismantled as of February 2022 through the Joint 10ID and PRO-Davao Area Clearing Evaluation Board released Resolution No. 13 Series of 2022 or the “Resolution declaring Sub-Regional Guerilla unit (SRGU) and Sub-Regional Command (SRC) 5 as dismantled.”
While Guerilla Front 55 and 56 were dismantled last year and in 2020 respectively, according to Capt. Mark Anthony Tito, spokesperson of the 10ID.
“As far as Davao City is concerned, wala nang Guerilla Front unit [operating] technically, buong area ng 1003rd. We are the first brigade to completely eliminate all NPA units. Zero insurgents tayo sa buong AOR ng 1003rd Brigade,” BGen. Consolito Yecla, the Commander of the 1003rd Brigade said during the declaration ceremony on March 24.
Before they were dismantled, these rebel groups held troops in some districts of Davao City namely Paquibato, Calinan, Marilog, and Tugbok but also held troops mainly in Davao del Norte such as Talaingod, Santo Tomas, and Carmen.
“Hindi siya purely Davao City lang kundi meron rin sa Davao del Norte, meron rin sa southern portion ng Bukidnon. Kung mapapansin mo, meron siya sa mga tri-boundary,” Tito told SunStar Davao on Friday, March 25.
With this progress, Davao City may be officially declared insurgency-free but Tito said the official recognition for insurgency-free cities needs to be formally processed and meet certain parameters before the release of an official resolution that would declare Davao City as insurgency-free.
“We are gearing towards declaring Davao City as insurgency-free. In the future, yan ang goal natin, to declare Davao City as insurgency-free,” Tito said.
Meanwhile, 78 former rebels were introduced as peace champions during the declaration ceremony at Rizal Park. Of these, 58 were from the SRGU, ten from GF 55, and ten leaders from SRC 5.
“We ardently hope that the entire Filipino people can accept our most profound apologies. Today, we are standing here in front of you not as former rebels but as Peace Champions. The whole leadership of the Sub-Regional Committee 5 and its members are ready to serve, to secure, and to protect the people from the communist infiltration in the whole area of responsibility,” Ariane Jane Ramos, former high-ranking official, said.
Meanwhile, Davao City Vice Mayor and acting mayor Sebastian “Baste” Duterte congratulated the Philippine Army for the dismantling of the said groups.
“This achievement is a testament to the success of our unceasing campaigns against insurgency and terrorism. We applaud the leadership of the Philippine Army for their unwavering commitment to serving the people,” Duterte said.
Tito said there are still four remaining guerilla fronts in the 10ID’s area of responsibility that they are currently confronting, specifically the weakened groups Guerilla Front 2 in Davao de Oro, Guerilla Front 3 in the boundary of Agusan del Sur, Guerilla Front 18 in Davao Oriental, and Guerilla Front 57 in North Cotabato. (ICM)