By CESAR JOLITO III
The Toboso municipal government has officially declared the Communist Terrorist Groups and the Communist Party of the Philippines – New People’s Army – National Democratic Front (CPP-NPA-NDF) as “persona non grata” within its territorial jurisdiction.
The declaration follows the April 19 armed encounter between the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) and the NPA in Barangay Salamanca’s Sitio Mamingan.
The encounter resulted in the death of 19 individuals suspected to be NPA remnants, causing fear and anxiety among residents and disrupting normal socioeconomic activities.
The resolution was unanimously approved during the 32nd regular session of Sangguniang Bayan held at the session hall yesterday.
“[This] expresses the strong condemnation of the local government against insurgency and affirms its support for peace-building initiatives and lawful governance,” the resolution said.
The municipal council said the measure “aligns with the efforts of the national government, including the National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (NTF-ELCAC) in promoting sustainable peace and development.”
The resolution underscores Toboso’s commitment to promoting peace, order, public safety, and the general welfare of its constituents.
It further recognizes the CPP-NPA-NDF as terrorist organizations that have been associated with acts of violence and armed insurgency across various parts of the country.
The Sangguniang Bayan emphasized that the presence and activities of these groups have consistently resulted in violence, loss of lives, destruction of property, and disruption of local development efforts.
The municipal leadership affirmed that this declaration aligns with the efforts of the national government, including the NTF-ELCAC, in promoting sustainable peace and development.
The municipality also highlighted the importance of the Municipal Peace and Order Council in strengthening the implementation of measures to express community support for national peace and security efforts./CJ, WDJ