TUBOD, Lanao del Norte-- The Lanao del Norte Provincial Peace and Order Council (PPOC) announced on Tuesday that the Kapatagan Valley has been formally declared insurgency-free after a joint security assessment of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP), Philippine National Police (PNP), and the provincial government showed significant improvements in the security situation in the valley, and the absence of New People’s Army (NPA) threats to stability and development in the valley.

Governor Mohammad Khalid Dimaporo, 1st ID Commander Brig. Gen. Noel Coballes and PNP Provincial Director Orlando Benas formalized the pronouncement in a joint declaration they signed at the Macapagal Training Center in Tubod, citing Kapatagan Valley as to have been “cleared from Communist terrorist movement (CTM) affectation and influence.

The declaration of Kapatagan Valley as an Insurgency-Free Area aims to impress in the whole region and even the nation that the valley is peaceful; to promote tourism; to attract investors; to enhance inter-agency cooperation and to pave way for the launching of more developmental projects.

“I am expressing my optimism of realizing a vision for a peaceful progressive valley where tourism, economic activities and more developmental projects thrive. We will see that in time, more services will reach the people even in the far-flung barangays without any delay,” said Dimaporo. “It is now our (Local Government Units) responsibility to take charge of these gains,” he added.

Before the formal signing, 35th IB LtCol Ferdinand Razalan, who has operational watch over the Kapatagan Valley, explained that “a place is categorized as insurgency-free when the threat posed by the Communist Party of the Philippines-New People’s Army-National Democratic Front (CPP-NPA-NDF) is successfully downgraded into a mere law and order problem.”

“This is what happened to Bohol, Cebu and the other previously declared insurgency-free areas. After a thorough security situation assessment, when it is found that the local government can handle the situation, the AFP then hands over the lead-role to the LGU and assumes a support role to the PNP”, Coballes said.

The agreement also signifies the concurrence of the province of Lanao del Norte to take over the lead role of the internal security operations (ISO) in the area, as it also outlines each of the party’s modified responsibilities. “Although the PPOC will take the lead role, the AFP shall always extend their services when called upon by the former,” 601st Infantry Brigade Commander Col Leo Cresente Ferrer added.

To sustain the present security gains, among the responsibilities of the provincial government stipulated in the agreement is to “formulate and implement socio-economic plans and programs in order to address issues that may be exploited by the rebels on its recovery efforts; as well as to implement and continuously strengthen the Integrated Territorial Security System (ITSS) as one components of the whole-of-nation approach in winning the peace”.

For the 35th Infantry Battalion, as the Army unit responsible in the area, it shall support the local chief executives in the formulation and implementation of socio-economic development plans and programs as well as to continue to review and implement the “isolate-insulate” concept of the Integrated Territorial Security System (ITSS), Social Awareness Symposium (SAS) and the Kaakibat ng Bayan Patungo sa Pag-ahon sa Kahirapan (KABATAAN) program.

Kapatagan Valley is composed of the municipalities of Kapatagan, Sultan Naga Dimaporo, Sapad, Lala, Baroy and Salvador  all of Lanao Del Norte. RJRosalejos