The local chief executives of the Davao Region and the security forces officially declared the area free from the claws of the communist terrorist group.
A resolution for the declaration was approved during a recent Regional Peace and Order Council members' executive meeting with the security forces in the region this week.
Lt./Gen. Greg Almerol, commander of Eastern Mindanao Command, said the declaration was the result of the "relentless operations" of the military forces in the region, "enforced by" the 10th Infantry Division and the collaborative efforts of the different local government units and the other national government line agencies.
Almerol noted there have been a series of "insurgency-free" declarations in the provinces in the Davao Region following the dismantling of various New People's Army guerilla fronts operating in the area by the EastMinCom.
These declarations include Davao del Sur during the fourth quarter of 2021, Davao del Norte on 2 June this year, followed by Davao Occidental on 16 June, Davao de Oro on 20 June, Davao City on 28 June, and the recent in the Davao Oriental on 19 September.
"We successfully wiped out the presence of the CTG in its affected barangays and crumbled all 16 Guerilla Fronts in the Region under the Southern Mindanao Regional Committee and Far South Mindanao Region since we implemented Executive Order No. 70 in 2018," Almerol said.
EO 70 mandates the whole-of-nation and whole-of-society approaches to address the root causes of the communist insurgency and provide developments in conflict-affected areas.
Almerol cited the support from the local chief executives and the unwavering efforts of the military and police personnel have contributed to the success of the anti-insurgency campaign in the region.
"We also congratulate the local government units, especially the Governors and Mayors, and other significant stakeholders, the Philippine National Police, Joint Task Force Agila, and all of Eastern Mindanao Command's units for their robust synergy that put the CTG on the brink of extinction," he said.
Almerol vowed to prevent any resurgence of the CTG Davao region and to finish the remaining Guerilla Fronts in his joint operational area so that all four regions in Eastern Mindanao will soon be declared "insurgency-free."
He noted that only five NPA units remain in parts of Mindanao, which are located in the Northern Mindanao, Caraga Region and SOCCSKSARGEN.
"It is only a matter of time until we dismantle these remaining CTG and finally declare the whole of Eastern Mindanao as insurgency-free," he said.
