BACOLOD CITY – The Negros Occidental Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict was officially created in the province last Aug. 27.
The creation of the task force was announced during the meeting of the Joint Provincial Development Council and Provincial Peace and Order Council chaired by Gov. Eugenio Jose Lacson at the Negros First Residences here.
Also present in the meeting were Col. Romeo Baleros, Negros Occidental police director; and Dr. Ma. Lina Sanogal, provincial planning and development coordinator.
The creation of task force was based on a resolution unanimously approved by the members of the JPDC and PPOC.
Brig. Gen. Benedict Arevalo, commander of Army 303rd Infantry Brigade, said the creation of the task force is the first collective step from them, as part of the government, to really address the root causes fueling the insurgency problem in the province.
However, he noted that the succeeding steps are the bigger ones and are more important.
The task force was set in motion since Aug. 22 during the conduct of a planning workshop with the national and local agencies, city and municipal mayors of the province, local planning and development officers, and peace and order chairpersons.
The NOCTF-ELCAC is similar to that of Negros Oriental’s which was created last month, based on Executive Order No. 70 issued by President Duterte which institutionalizes a whole-of-nation approach in addressing the root causes of insurgency to ensure inclusive and sustainable peace.
Negros Oriental created the task force following series of killings in the province last month. (Glazyl Masculino)
