THE municipality of Baras is now the first insurgency-free town in the province of Rizal following the Ceremonial Signing of Memorandum of Understanding held at Baras Gymnasium, Baras, Rizal .
Said municipality was conferred by an inter-agency body with the Stable Internal Peace and Security (SIPS) status after successfully meeting the criteria established under the phases of Normalization per Revised Joint Implementing Rules and Regulations to Executive Order 546 Series of 2006, specifically the absence of recorded NPA violent activities for at least one year.
Mayor Wilfredo C. Robles, Baras Task Force ELCAC Chief expressed his heartfelt gratitude and thanks to the military, police, line government agencies, and his constituents for the declaration of his municipality as the first insurgency-free municipality in Rizal. “We know the importance of this declaration as it would usher in more investors and open up more job and economic opportunities not only to the town of Baras but to the entire Rizal Province as well,” he added.
The Local Chief Executive maintained that the Communist Terrorist Group (CTG) and its Sectoral Front Organizations (SFOs) are not welcome in his town, and they will lead the charge in maintaining peace and security efforts while pursuing development initiatives for the good of his constituents.
Brigadier General Cerilo C Balaoro Jr., Commander, 202nd Infantry Brigade, congratulated the Local Government Unit of Baras for being the first town to have achieved SIPS status. “We have also signed our pledge of commitment but our work does not end here. We have to continue to sustain our gains thru the cooperation and collaboration of everyone so we can achieve a lasting peace and development we all hope for.” BGen Balaoro added.
The program also involves the redeclaration of the CPP-NPA-NDF as Persona Non Grata in the municipality as well as the signing of the Pledge of Commitment by all stakeholders, particularly the local officials at the municipal level, including the different Barangay Chairmen and SK Presidents.
It can be recalled that on January 5, 2022, joint AFP-PNP law enforcement operations led to the arrest of the notorious Antonio PULE @DADS/BANJO/FURY, Executive Committee Member and Finance Officer of Sub-Regional Military Area-4A (SRMA-4A), Southern Tagalog Regional Party Committee (STRPC) for the crimes of murder and attempted murder.
Lately, another successful TF-ELCAC accomplishment was the surrender of three (3) CTG personalities of KLG NARCISO at the Headquarters of the 80th Infantry Battalion stationed in Brgy. Pinugay, Baras, Rizal on April 28, 2023.
Likewise, the joint AFP-PNP Community Support Program in the province was able to successfully redirect and reorient the CTG Affected Mass Organizations (CAMOs) in the said municipality.
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