THE Eastern Mindanao Command (Eastmincom) will not withdraw troops despite President Ferdinand Marcos, Jr.'s Proclamation No. 298, which lifted the state of national emergency because of lawless violence in Mindanao.
Proclamation No. 55, in effect since September 4, 2016, had placed Mindanao under a state of emergency due to the threats posed by private armies, local warlords, bandits, criminal syndicates, terrorist groups, and religious extremists across the region.
However, on July 25, 2023, President Marcos lifted the state of emergency following the success of military operations in restoring peace and order in Mindanao.
PLtGen. Filmore Escobal, Commander of Area Police Command-Eastern Mindanao, during a press conference held at SM Ecoland on Monday morning, July 31, clarified that despite a significant reduction in violence in the region, there would be no troop pullout. The current state of deployment will remain effective.
Escobal acknowledged past mistakes in dealing with insurgency and emphasized the need to sustain military operations until the armed groups pose no further threat.
“Medyo nagkamali tayo don ‘yong problema natin sa insurgency madaling nag resurge kaya with those lesson we have, sustainment operation must continue until the time na wala nang threat sa armed group (We acknowledge that we made a mistake in the past, and it became problematic as the insurgency resurged. This served as a valuable lesson, highlighting the need for us to persist with the sustainment operation until armed groups no longer pose any threat)," Escobal said.
According to Escobal, Mindanao's peace and order situation has improved considerably, especially in the eastern part of the region.
He underscored that only a few remaining communist/terrorist groups, specifically guerilla fronts, continue to exist, primarily in North Cotabato and Caraga, with efforts underway to dismantle them under President Marcos' directive to the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) and the Philippine National Police (PNP).
Meanwhile, Eastmincom Commander LtGen. Greg Almerol reported no recorded criminal incidents related to the Communist Party of the Philippines-New People's Army-National Democratic Front (CPP-NPA-NDF). This indicates a positive development in the region's security situation.
"This declaration will change the image of Mindanao from a war-torn island to a peaceful island," Almero said.
He said Eastmincom, AFP, and the PNP will continue collaborating with all stakeholders geared toward development in Mindanao.