EMPHASIZING that military operations prioritize lives over body counts, 4th Infantry Division (4ID) commander MGEN Marion Angcao appealed to the remnants of the New People’s Army (NPA) to surrender as Northern Mindanao approaches Stable Internal Peace and Security (SIPS) status.
Speaking at a press conference at the 403rd Infantry Brigade headquarters in Camp Osito Bahian on Sunday, Sept. 13, Angcao said most insurgents are victims of manipulation who deserve a chance to return to normal life.
“Sino ba naman may gusto sa atin na may buhay na nawawala? Our effort is really to convince them to surrender, because we all know that most of them are just victims of deception by the members of the communist terrorist group,” Angcao stated.
Addressing the timeline for official peace declarations across Region X, the division commander clarified that the decision to declare an area under SIPS status rests entirely on local government units based on ground realities.
“We let the LGUs handle their own processes in declaring SIPS in an area. We don’t force it on them just to showcase military accomplishments. The LGUs are the ones who can truly feel if an area is ready,” Angcao explained, adding that he remains hopeful several areas will complete the process within the current quarter to unlock further socio-economic development and investments.
With top leadership of the North Central Mindanao Regional Committee (NCMRC) neutralized following recent military operations along the Bukidnon and Agusan del Sur borders, Angcao noted that only about six remaining active combatants are being tracked in the area.
While the small number allows LGUs to proceed with SIPS declarations since the remaining elements no longer possess operational capacity, Angcao reiterated that the military prefers a complete resolution through peaceful surrenders.
“Even if the six are still there, we can declare SIPS because they are already insignificant and their leaders have been neutralized. But it is still better to totally clear the area—either through surrenders or neutralization—so we can formally present Bukidnon, Misamis Oriental, and eventually the entire Region X as SIPS or insurgency-free,” he said.
