Teodoro marks Sulu security shift milestone
‘Our struggle has now shifted toward development and maintaining stable internal peace and security.’
‘Our struggle has now shifted toward development and maintaining stable internal peace and security.’
Government and military leaders formally declared the province of Sulu under a status of “Stable Internal Peace and Security” during a ceremony at the Capitol Gymnasium on Thursday, marking a historic shift from decades of armed conflict toward economic development.
Defense Secretary Gilberto C. Teodoro Jr. joined Sulu Gov. Abdusakur “Toto” A. Tan II, local mayors, and leadership from the Armed Forces of the Philippines, Philippine National Police, and Philippine Coast Guard in signing a memorandum of agreement and pledge of commitment to sustain peace gains across the island province.
The declaration was formalized under Provincial Peace and Order Council Resolution No. 3, Series of 2026, which certified that insurgent and terrorist groups operating in Sulu have been dismantled and degraded to a non-threat level.
“This is the greatest gift parents can give to our children and grandchildren,” Teodoro said, citing that generations of local residents were previously displaced by armed violence. “Our struggle has now shifted toward development and maintaining stable internal peace and security.”
Teodoro explained that the military’s role in Sulu has evolved into a supporting function, providing security logistics, rapid reaction capabilities, and disaster response while civil government agencies lead infrastructure, power and education projects.
During his visit to Luuk, Teodoro also attended the inauguration of Camp AKA at the Army’s 1102nd Infantry Brigade, named after former Mayor Abdurahman K. Arbison. The event included groundbreaking ceremonies for new military infrastructure and the handover of land titles for Army installations.
Maj. Gen. Leonardo I. Peña, commander of the Army’s 11th Infantry “Alakdan” Division and Joint Task Force Orion, credited the milestone to sustained civil-military operations and a unified whole-of-government approach to community engagement across the province.
