President Rodrigo Duterte witnesses the recent decommissioning of Moro Islamic Liberation Front combatants and weapons in Sultan Kudarat, Maguindanao. (PCOO)

TACLOBAN CITY―Seven barangays in Leyte where a mass purging of New People’s Army members happened in the 1980s have been added to priority areas for convergence of the Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict, bringing to 38 the number of Eastern Visayas villages in the list.

Based on estimates of former rebels and relatives of the victims, the mass purging now commonly known as the Inopacan massacre claimed the lives of about 300 residents in Leyte province.

Families of purging victims continue to cry for justice for their loved ones who were summarily executed by communist rebels on the suspicion that they have ties with the military. In 2006, the skeletal remains of 67 persons were unearthed at Subang Daku village.

A Manila regional trial court has ordered the arrest of Communist Party of the Philippines founding chair Jose Maria “Joma” Sison and his wife Juliet, who are living in self-exile at The Netherlands, and 36 other rebel group leaders and members last 28 August.

A convergence caravan is being planned in the seven barangays of Baybay City, Mahaplag and Inopacan towns to rally support against communist insurgency in the area.

Earlier, the regional task force identified 31 priority barangays in Eastern Visayas to end armed conflicts―eight in Northern Samar, three in Eastern Samar and 20 in Samar.

Assistant regional director Valente Bajet of the Department of Interior and Local Government in Eastern Visayas said convergence efforts of the government will be focused on these areas so that residents will be dissuaded from joining the lawless elements.

Under Executive Order 70 that created the task force, local government units are given until 2022 to end insurgency with emphasis on addressing the root causes of conflicts.

The implementation of EO 70 in Region 8 is supervised by Cabinet Officer for Regional Development and Security (CORDS) and Housing and Urban Development Secretary Eduardo del Rosario.