|
CABANATUAN CITY: Government security forces in Nueva Ecija have set
a “next level” drive against insurgency as its officials signed
over the weekend an agreement spelling out actions to have the
territory free of rebels in the next two months.
Senior Supt. Napoleon Taas, Nueva Ecija police
director, and Army Lt. Col. Gilbert Gapay, commanding officer of the
third Mechanized Infantry Brigade (3MIB), both expressed belief that
local government units can take the lead role against the insurgency
by June 2008 because the internal security would have been settled
by then.
They signed the memorandum of agreement (MOA) at
the provincial police headquarters here Friday. Police chiefs from
various stations such as Cabanatuan City, and the towns of San
Antonio, Jaen, San leonardo, Sta. Rosa, Zaragoza, Aliaga, Quezon and
Licab were also signatories along with officers from the elite 307th
and 309th police mobile groups.
The MOA provides for intensified joint
police-military operations against the insurgents operating within
their respective area of responsibility, particularly at the
provincial boundary. The 3MIB holds jurisdiction over Eastern Nueva
Ecija and Tarlac.
Both the police and the Army will man
checkpoints to pursue internal security operations.
Taas said they would see to it that such groups
would no longer infiltrate areas already cleared of insurgents.
President Arroyo wants insurgency problem solved
before her term ends.
-- Armand F. Galang
|
