President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. urged the country’s soldiers on Friday to make a shift in their role from solely “warfighters” to also incorporating “peacemaking” efforts.

Addressing the troops at the Philippine Army’s 401st Infantry Division headquarters in Prosperidad, Agusan del Sur, Marcos emphasized the shift in approach to internal conflicts in the country.

“Our approach to our internal conflicts within the Philippines is different, and what we ask of our soldiers is to be warfighters. We still need warfighters, we still need the courage, bravery, and sacrifice that you have shown,” Marcos said.

“But now, there is an additional dimension to the job that you have. Your mission is not just about war; you also have to be peacemakers. They must remember that, somehow, the ones we face are fellow Filipinos,” Marcos added.

The President commended the progress made in the Caraga Region, citing projections of clearing the area by the end of the year.

Among the notable accomplishments of the JTF Diamond include the neutralization of 200 communist rebels/terrorists (144 surrendered, 44 killed, and 12 captured) and the seizure of 311 firearms.

It also supported the Enhanced Comprehensive Local Integration Program, or E-CLIP.

From 2021 to the present, the units under the Army’s 4ID helped facilitate the surrender of 2,596 former rebels, of whom 2,167 or 83 percent were already awarded benefits under the E-CLIP, which grant financial assistance, livelihood training and grants, firearm remuneration, and housing and education assistance.

There is a reported downtrend in the presence of insurgents in the JTF Diamond’s area of operation, from 437 rebels in the first quarter of 2023, decreasing by 28.6 percent to 312 as of 15 February 2024.

Two regional insurgent committees, with a total of 312 members and 306 firearms, have retreated to the mountains and no longer influence nearby barangays.

The President congratulated the troops for their relentless pursuit of the enemy, acknowledging the challenging terrain and demanding nature of their mission.

“I have to congratulate everybody, and I know the life of a soldier, especially here, in this terrain. The only way to do what you are doing is to relentlessly pursue the enemy,” Marcos said.