Army official reiterates concerted efforts to curb insurgency in Samar

By JAZMIN BONIFACIO
February 28, 2015

BASEY, Samar – The Philippine Army’s 801st Infantry Brigade has called on for more concerted efforts to pursue peace and development and uphold rule of law and justice in their series of operations in Samar provinces.

Col. Leoncio A. Cerunay, brigade commander said the army is intensifying its peace efforts through bayanihan (heroism) and focused military operations to safeguard the community against armed threats from lawless elements.

Cerunay tackled the current situation of Basey and other areas in the Samar province, saying “the tensions have continued for nearly 46 years and people living in isolated communities in Samar are still in urgent need of support.”

“It is negotiations, not fighting, that offers solution,” Cerunay observed.

It was learned that the army continue to reach out and encourage members of the New People’s Army to abandon the armed struggle, return to the fold of the law, and live a normal and peaceful life together with their families.

To jointly pursue peace and development and uphold rule of law and justice, he has called for equal treatment, uphold the principles of sovereignty and territorial integrity, safeguard the rights of all people to independently choose their social systems and development paths.

“We should be open and inclusive in order to achieve harmony between all people with different social systems, religion, cultural traditions and ideology,” he explained.

“Mutually beneficial cooperation should be pursued for win-win or all-win progress by aligning common interests with those of others and working to expand areas where their interests converge.”

The official stressed that beating swords with ploughshares may take time and effort, but history and reality have repeatedly demonstrated that to meet violence with violence will not lead to enduring peace, and the use of force will create more problems than solutions.